Social Influence

~ Minority influence ~

Consistency – minority influence is effective if they keep the same belief both over time and between all the individuals that form the minority. 

Commitment – minority influence more powerful if the minority demonstrates dedication to their position. 

Flexibility – Relentless consistency could be counterproductive if it seen by the majority as unbending and unreasonable.    

Process of change -the snowball effect 

 ~ Role of social influence in social change ~

ü Drawing attention

ü Consistency

ü Deeper processing 

ü The augmentation principle 

ü Snowball effect 

ü Social cryptomeria

ACD ASS 

Barriers to social change – 

Bashir et al. 2013 – investigated why people so often resist social change agree that it is necessary. The research’s found that their participants were less likely to behave in environmentally friendly ways because they did not want to be associated with stereotypical and minority ‘environmentalist’