MINORITY INFLUENCE INCLUDING REFERENCE TO CONSISTENCY, COMMITMENT AND FLEXIBILITY

Minority Influence

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.