MINORITY INFLUENCE

MINORITY INFLUENCE INCLUDING REFERENCE TO CONSISTENCY, COMMITMENT AND FLEXIBILITY

Minority Influence

Minority influence occurs when a smaller group or an individual successfully changes the opinions and behaviours of the majority, a process known as conversion. Unlike majority influence, which typically leads to compliance, conversion involves both private and public acceptance of a belief or behaviour, making it the deepest form of conformity. For conversion to occur, the minority must exhibit key behavioural traits, including commitment, consistency, and flexibility, to maximise their influence.

Minorities exert influence through informational social influence, providing logical arguments and evidence that encourage individuals in the majority to critically assess their existing beliefs. Unlike majority influence, which often results in immediate but superficial conformity, minority influence is a slow and systematic process that requires deeper cognitive engagement. Over time, as individuals re-evaluate their positions, they may adopt the minority's stance through internalisation.

CONSISTENCY

For minority influence to be effective, the group must maintain both intra-individual and inter-individual consistency.

• Intra-individual consistency means that a person or group maintains the same stance over time, avoiding contradictions or wavering in their position.

• Inter-individual consistency means that all members of the minority present a united front, reinforcing the credibility of their argument by showing agreement among themselves.

Consistency signals confidence, dedication, and impartiality, causing the majority to question their own stance. Hogg & Vaughan (2002) argue that consistency leads the majority to reassess their own views, creating doubt and uncertainty. This effect is particularly powerful when the minority persists despite opposition, social pressure, or rejection, forcing the majority to take notice.

A minority that constantly shifts its viewpoint lacks credibility and will struggle to gain support. However, consistency should not be confused with rigidity—an excessively dogmatic stance can be off-putting rather than persuasive. Instead, a successful minority balances consistency with adaptability, making their position appear reasonable rather than stubborn.

COMMITMENT

Another essential factor in minority influence is commitment, as it demonstrates determination and confidence, encouraging the majority to take the minority more seriously. If a minority is willing to suffer for their beliefs—such as through imprisonment, social exclusion, or personal sacrifice—the augmentation principle suggests that their stance is more likely to be seen as genuine and important. As a result, the majority may reconsider their own position and begin to adopt the minority’s views.

Commitment can also create a snowball effect, where initial influence starts small but gradually gains momentum, as increasing numbers of majority members convert to the minority position. Over time, this shift can lead to a tipping point where the minority becomes the new majority.

FLEXIBILITY

While consistency and commitment are crucial, flexibility is equally important for minority influence to be effective. Mugny (1982) suggested that because minorities lack power and status, they must be seen as cooperative and reasonable rather than rigid and uncompromising. A flexible approach makes the minority more persuasive, as it indicates a willingness to engage with the majority’s concerns and adjust their position slightly if necessary.

However, too much flexibility may weaken the minority's position, making them appear inconsistent or lacking conviction. Therefore, successful minority influence requires a balance—a firm stance that is adaptable enough to encourage discussion and negotiation without seeming weak or indecisive.

OTHER PROCESSES IN MINORITY INFLUENCE

Once a minority starts influencing the majority, several psychological processes help maintain and spread this influence.

• Cryptomnesia refers to a situation where people adopt a minority's ideas but forget where they originally came from, distancing themselves from the source while still embracing the new belief.

• Social change often begins with a minority challenging dominant norms before their ideas gradually gain wider acceptance.

• The snowball effect describes how a few initial converts to a minority viewpoint can lead to a larger shift, eventually resulting in widespread acceptance of the new perspective.

EXAMPLES OF MINORITY INFLUENCE

• The Civil Rights Movement (1950s-1960s) – Led by figures like Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights activists remained consistent in their demands for racial equality, despite resistance and persecution. Their commitment to non-violent protest demonstrated sacrifice and perseverance, strengthening their influence. Over time, their ideas gained widespread support, leading to landmark legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

• The Suffragettes (Late 19th – Early 20th Century) – Women’s suffrage activists, including Emmeline Pankhurst and the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), displayed both consistency and commitment in their fight for voting rights. They faced imprisonment, hunger strikes, and public ridicule, exemplifying the augmentation principle by demonstrating their unwavering belief in their cause. Their efforts contributed to women gaining the right to vote in 1918 (for some women) and 1928 (for all women in the UK).

• LGBTQ+ Rights Movement – The push for equal rights for LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly in legalising same-sex marriage, followed a similar pattern. Activists consistently campaigned for change, demonstrating commitment through decades of legal battles and public advocacy. Over time, the majority’s perception shifted, leading to significant legal and social advancements.

These examples illustrate how minority groups, through consistency, commitment, and flexibility, can eventually change the beliefs of the majority and bring about lasting social change.

Theory AO1

Minority Influence: Consistency, Commitment, and Flexibility

Minority influence occurs when a smaller group or an individual can change the opinions of the majority group, leading to a process known as conversion. Conversion involves both the private and public acceptance of a belief and behavior, representing the deepest form of conformity. For conversion to take place, the minority group must exhibit specific behavioral traits, including commitment, consistency, and flexibility.

Minorities influence the majority through informational social influence, providing arguments and information supporting their views. This process takes time as individuals need to question and examine their beliefs, in contrast to majority influence, which relies on compliance and results in more immediate conformity.

Minority influence is most effective when the group maintains a consistent and unchanging stance. Consistency demonstrates confidence and impartiality. According to Hogg & Vaughn (2002), consistency leads the majority to reevaluate their own viewpoints, introducing doubt and uncertainty. This effect is amplified when the minority persists in their viewpoint despite opposition, social pressure, and rejection, compelling the majority to take notice. A fragmented and changing stance within a minority group lacks support and credibility.

Commitment is another crucial factor, as it forces members of the majority group to take the minority more seriously. It reflects perseverance and confidence, even at a great cost. Over time, commitment can lead majority group members to join the minority's cause due to the enduring commitment they witness.

Flexibility is also essential for minority influence to change majority opinions, as suggested by Mugny (1982). Since minority groups typically have less power, demonstrating flexibility indicates cooperation and reasonableness, making them more persuasive. Conversely, a rigid and inflexible minority group is challenging to work with and may not effectively influence the majority. Striking a balance of flexibility is crucial for effective minority influence.

Research Into Minority Influence

Moscovici's Study (1969): Moscovici conducted a study involving 32 groups of six females to support the role of consistency in minority influence. The groups were asked to identify colors presented to them, with two confederates consistently providing incorrect answers. When the confederates were consistent in their responses, stating the slides were green, 8% of the majority agreed. This percentage was higher when participants wrote down their responses privately. Moscovici concluded that pressure to conform was greater when responses were public, highlighting the importance of consistency in minority influence.

A limitation of this study is that it involved only female participants, raising concerns about gender bias in the findings. It may not apply equally to males due to differences in socialization. Therefore, the results may not generalize to mixed-gender groups or male-only settings.

Wood et al.'s Meta-Analysis (1994): Wood et al. conducted a meta-analysis of over 97 minority groups to explore the impact of consistency on influence. They found that the most consistent groups had the highest level of influence, supporting the importance of consistency in minority influence. However, these findings are correlational, and causation cannot be established. Other unknown factors may also affect influence.

Nemeth's Study (1987): Nemeth provided support for the role of flexibility in minority influence. In groups of three participants and one confederate, they had to decide the compensation for a ski-lift accident victim. When the confederate, acting as a consistent minority, refused to change their position, it had no effect on the majority. However, when the confederate was willing to be flexible and compromise, this influenced the majority to lower their demands, highlighting the need for minorities to exhibit flexibility.

Real-World Applications: Research into minority influence has real-world applications, such as understanding how terrorism radicalizes individuals to join such causes. Consistency and persistence are evident in many groups involved in continuous acts of violence to achieve their goals. Commitment is also visible as these groups are willing to sacrifice their lives for their beliefs, making them more noticeable and taken more seriously. However, minority influence may not always lead to immediate change and may be seen as deviant, even with commitment, consistency, and flexibility, creating potential but not guaranteed change.