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Hannah
29/08/2025
Psychology
Social Change due to Minority Influence
92
•
29 Aug 2025
•
How Minority Influence Leads to Social Change: Easy Examples
Hannah
@hannah558
1 / 3
The Role of Disobedience and Gradual Commitment in Social Change
This page explores how disobedient models and gradual commitment contribute to social change, drawing on key psychological research and theories.
Milgram's research demonstrates the importance of disobedient role models in facilitating social change. When confederates refused to comply in his obedience experiments, the rate of obedience in genuine participants dropped significantly.
Example: In Milgram's variation, when one confederate refused to administer shocks, it significantly reduced obedience rates among real participants.
Zimbardo (2007) suggested that obedience can be used to create social change through a process of gradual commitment. Once individuals make smaller commitments, it becomes more difficult to resist larger ones, leading to a 'drift' into new behaviors.
Highlight: The concept of 'drift' explains how people can gradually adopt new behaviors through incremental commitments.
Research supports the role of normative social influence in social change. Nolan (2008) investigated how majority influence led to reduced energy consumption in a community:
Example: In San Diego, researchers hung messages on house doors stating that most residents were trying to reduce energy usage. This resulted in a significant decrease in energy consumption compared to control groups.
However, there are limitations to minority influence:
Quote: "Nemeth (1986): the effects of minority influence may be only indirect and delayed."
This suggests that minority influence may have limited immediate effects, with genuine social changes occurring only after extended periods. Minority influence is often more latent than direct, creating the potential for social change rather than immediate transformation.
Challenges and Limitations in Social Change Processes
This page discusses the methodological limitations and challenges faced in studying and implementing social change through minority influence.
Identification with a minority group is crucial for their influence to be effective. Minorities can only be influential if they can attract the attention of the majority, which holds the power in society.
Highlight: If a minority group is perceived as too 'off-putting', the majority may never listen to them, hindering the crucial first step in minority influence.
Methodological issues limit the explanations based on social influence research:
Vocabulary: Methodological limitations refer to the shortcomings in research methods that may affect the validity or applicability of study results.
Some studies do not accurately reflect real-life situations where social influence occurs. However, practical steps based on research studies have proven effective, suggesting that the link between social influence and social change is partially valid.
Bashir et al. (2013) investigated why people resist social change, even when they agree it is necessary:
Example: Resistors often rate minority groups in negative ways, such as labeling feminists as "man-haters".
Researchers advise minorities to avoid behaving in ways that may reinforce stereotypes, as this can be off-putting to the majority and hinder social change efforts.
Highlight: The role of social influence processes in social change is complex and multifaceted, requiring careful consideration of both majority and minority dynamics.
Understanding these challenges and limitations is crucial for developing effective strategies for successful social change movements. By addressing stereotypes, focusing on identification, and leveraging both minority and majority influence, social movements can increase their chances of creating lasting societal change.
Understanding Minority Influence and Social Change
Minority influence and social change are interconnected concepts that explain how societies evolve over time. This page introduces the key ideas behind these processes and outlines the steps through which minority influence leads to broader societal shifts.
Definition: Social change refers to the adoption of new attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors by society as a whole, often driven by minority influence.
The power of persuasive groups lies in their ability to organize, educate, and mobilize support for their cause. When individuals focus their collective power, the result can be significant social change movements.
Example: The suffragettes and the Paralympic movement are notable examples of minority influence leading to social change.
The process of minority influence creating social change typically follows six steps:
- Drawing attention to the issue
- Consistency of position
- Deeper processing by the majority
- The augmentation principle
- The snowball effect
- Social cryptomnesia
Highlight: The augmentation principle refers to minorities taking risks to further their cause, which can increase their perceived dedication and influence.
Lessons from conformity research, such as Asch's experiments, demonstrate that dissenters can break the power of the majority and enable others to express dissenting views, paving the way for social change.
Vocabulary: Normative social influence (NSI) is the type of social influence that leads individuals to conform to be liked or accepted by others.
Environmental and health campaigners often exploit conformity by appealing to NSI, using normative messages to encourage social change by drawing attention to majority behavior.
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
How Minority Influence Leads to Social Change: Easy Examples
Hannah
@hannah558
Social change is driven by minority influence through a six-step process, from drawing attention to issues to social cryptomnesia. Conformity research and majority influence also play roles in facilitating social change, particularly through normative social influence in environmental campaigns. How... Show more
The Role of Disobedience and Gradual Commitment in Social Change
This page explores how disobedient models and gradual commitment contribute to social change, drawing on key psychological research and theories.
Milgram's research demonstrates the importance of disobedient role models in facilitating social change. When confederates refused to comply in his obedience experiments, the rate of obedience in genuine participants dropped significantly.
Example: In Milgram's variation, when one confederate refused to administer shocks, it significantly reduced obedience rates among real participants.
Zimbardo (2007) suggested that obedience can be used to create social change through a process of gradual commitment. Once individuals make smaller commitments, it becomes more difficult to resist larger ones, leading to a 'drift' into new behaviors.
Highlight: The concept of 'drift' explains how people can gradually adopt new behaviors through incremental commitments.
Research supports the role of normative social influence in social change. Nolan (2008) investigated how majority influence led to reduced energy consumption in a community:
Example: In San Diego, researchers hung messages on house doors stating that most residents were trying to reduce energy usage. This resulted in a significant decrease in energy consumption compared to control groups.
However, there are limitations to minority influence:
Quote: "Nemeth (1986): the effects of minority influence may be only indirect and delayed."
This suggests that minority influence may have limited immediate effects, with genuine social changes occurring only after extended periods. Minority influence is often more latent than direct, creating the potential for social change rather than immediate transformation.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Challenges and Limitations in Social Change Processes
This page discusses the methodological limitations and challenges faced in studying and implementing social change through minority influence.
Identification with a minority group is crucial for their influence to be effective. Minorities can only be influential if they can attract the attention of the majority, which holds the power in society.
Highlight: If a minority group is perceived as too 'off-putting', the majority may never listen to them, hindering the crucial first step in minority influence.
Methodological issues limit the explanations based on social influence research:
Vocabulary: Methodological limitations refer to the shortcomings in research methods that may affect the validity or applicability of study results.
Some studies do not accurately reflect real-life situations where social influence occurs. However, practical steps based on research studies have proven effective, suggesting that the link between social influence and social change is partially valid.
Bashir et al. (2013) investigated why people resist social change, even when they agree it is necessary:
Example: Resistors often rate minority groups in negative ways, such as labeling feminists as "man-haters".
Researchers advise minorities to avoid behaving in ways that may reinforce stereotypes, as this can be off-putting to the majority and hinder social change efforts.
Highlight: The role of social influence processes in social change is complex and multifaceted, requiring careful consideration of both majority and minority dynamics.
Understanding these challenges and limitations is crucial for developing effective strategies for successful social change movements. By addressing stereotypes, focusing on identification, and leveraging both minority and majority influence, social movements can increase their chances of creating lasting societal change.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Understanding Minority Influence and Social Change
Minority influence and social change are interconnected concepts that explain how societies evolve over time. This page introduces the key ideas behind these processes and outlines the steps through which minority influence leads to broader societal shifts.
Definition: Social change refers to the adoption of new attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors by society as a whole, often driven by minority influence.
The power of persuasive groups lies in their ability to organize, educate, and mobilize support for their cause. When individuals focus their collective power, the result can be significant social change movements.
Example: The suffragettes and the Paralympic movement are notable examples of minority influence leading to social change.
The process of minority influence creating social change typically follows six steps:
- Drawing attention to the issue
- Consistency of position
- Deeper processing by the majority
- The augmentation principle
- The snowball effect
- Social cryptomnesia
Highlight: The augmentation principle refers to minorities taking risks to further their cause, which can increase their perceived dedication and influence.
Lessons from conformity research, such as Asch's experiments, demonstrate that dissenters can break the power of the majority and enable others to express dissenting views, paving the way for social change.
Vocabulary: Normative social influence (NSI) is the type of social influence that leads individuals to conform to be liked or accepted by others.
Environmental and health campaigners often exploit conformity by appealing to NSI, using normative messages to encourage social change by drawing attention to majority behavior.
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user