Role of Social Influence Processes in Social Change
Consistency: This is the most important factor; a consistent minority is perceived as confident and committed, which creates uncertainty in the majority. It suggests that the minority has a valid point that warrants investigation.
Commitment: High levels of commitment, especially when involving personal risk, suggest that the minority is not acting out of self-interest. This triggers the augmentation principle in the minds of the majority.
Flexibility: While consistency is key, being too rigid can be perceived as dogmatic or narrow-minded. A minority that shows a willingness to adapt their point of view or accept valid counter-arguments is often more persuasive.
| Feature | Majority Influence (Conformity) | Minority Influence (Innovation) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Process | Compliance / Identification | Internalization / Conversion |
| Cognitive Effort | Low (Surface level) | High (Deep processing) |
| Stability | Often temporary | Usually long-lasting |
| Social Impact | Maintains status quo | Drives social change |
Identify the Sequence: When asked to describe how social influence leads to social change, always list the steps in order: Attention → Consistency → Deeper Processing → Augmentation → Snowball → Cryptoamnesia.
Use Precise Terminology: Ensure you distinguish between 'synchronic' and 'diachronic' consistency to demonstrate a higher level of understanding. Use the term 'Augmentation Principle' specifically when discussing risks taken by the minority.
Link to Psychological Research: Be prepared to explain why these processes work. For example, consistency works because it creates 'cognitive conflict' in the majority, forcing them to resolve the discrepancy between their view and the minority's view.
Check for Misconceptions: Do not confuse social change with simple conformity. Social change is about the shift in the norm itself, not just individuals following an existing norm.
The 'Overnight' Fallacy: Students often assume social change happens quickly. In reality, minority influence is a slow process that requires long-term consistency before the 'snowball effect' takes over.
Rigidity vs. Consistency: A common mistake is thinking a minority should never change their argument. However, research shows that a minority that is too rigid is often dismissed; flexibility is required to appear reasonable.
Cryptoamnesia is not Forgetting: It is not that people forget the issue existed; they forget that the minority group was the one responsible for the change, often because the new norm is now seen as 'common sense'.