Social InfluenceSocial Influence

Majority and Minority Majority and Minority InfluenceInfluence

OutlineOutline

Improving Group Effectiveness: Improving Group Effectiveness: Majority InfluenceMajority Influence

Majority vs Minority InfluenceMajority vs Minority Influence

How do influence processes work?How do influence processes work?

Improving Group Effectiveness: Improving Group Effectiveness: DissentDissent

Video Clip: 12 Angry MenVideo Clip: 12 Angry Men

Informational Influence and Informational Influence and Improving Group EffectivenessImproving Group Effectiveness

Avoid pluralistic ignoranceAvoid pluralistic ignorance

Share information with group; Share information with group; reduce uncertainty and ambiguityreduce uncertainty and ambiguity

Clarify faulty assumptionsClarify faulty assumptions

Normative Influence and Normative Influence and Improving Group EffectivenessImproving Group Effectiveness

Use group pressure on deviant Use group pressure on deviant membersmembers

Use high status members to model and Use high status members to model and reinforce new normsreinforce new norms

To find out real thoughts, ask privately To find out real thoughts, ask privately and anonymouslyand anonymously

Make desired norms clear and specificMake desired norms clear and specific

The Majority is PowerfulThe Majority is Powerful…but What About...…but What About...

GalileoGalileo

Susan B Anthony & Susan B Anthony & Elizabeth Cady Elizabeth Cady StantonStanton

Martin Luther King Martin Luther King Jr.Jr.

Majority and Minority Majority and Minority InfluenceInfluence

Majority influence:Majority influence:– Larger group influences smaller subgroup Larger group influences smaller subgroup

or individualsor individuals

Minority influence:Minority influence:– The individual or smaller group influences The individual or smaller group influences

the larger groupthe larger group

Moscovici & Minority Moscovici & Minority InfluenceInfluence

Criticized North American research Criticized North American research on conformity as on conformity as – ““fashioned and considered from the point fashioned and considered from the point

of view of the majority, authority and of view of the majority, authority and social control”social control”

He advocated a point of view ofHe advocated a point of view of– ““the minority, the deviant and social the minority, the deviant and social

change”change”

Why the dichotomy between European Why the dichotomy between European and North American scholars?and North American scholars?– Impact of ideology and values on scienceImpact of ideology and values on science

Moscovici & Minority Moscovici & Minority InfluenceInfluence

Color Perception Study (Moscovici and colleagues)

– 6 BLUE slides

– 4 naive subjects, 2 confederates

– Consistent condition

Confederates always said green

– Inconsistent condition

Confederates said green 24 times and blue 12 times

– Control condition Groups made up of just naive subjects

ResultsResults

0

5

10

15

20

Percentage saying GREEN

Control InconsistentMinority

ConsistentMinority

Color Perception Study: Phase Two

Discrimination task– 16 hues on blue-green spectrum

Results:– Participants in both experimental

groups had lower threshold for "GREEN“ than those in control group

Factors Affecting Minority Factors Affecting Minority InfluenceInfluence

InvestmentInvestment

Self-interestSelf-interest

Ingroup vs outgroup membersIngroup vs outgroup members

Flexibility and ConsistencyFlexibility and Consistency

Example of Flexibility & Example of Flexibility & Consistency Consistency

Nemeth et al (1974) Nemeth et al (1974)

Experiment similar to Moscovici’s, but the Experiment similar to Moscovici’s, but the confederates (Cs) say either green or confederates (Cs) say either green or green-blue green-blue – (all the slides still being blue) (all the slides still being blue)

Results:Results:– If Cs said these at random there was no effect If Cs said these at random there was no effect

on the majority on the majority – If Cs said them in a consistent way - green to If Cs said them in a consistent way - green to

the brighter slides and blue-green to the the brighter slides and blue-green to the dimmer slides, there was 21% influence dimmer slides, there was 21% influence

Minority Influence and Minority Influence and StatusStatus

Is early conformity important?Is early conformity important?– It may earn some ‘status’ with group It may earn some ‘status’ with group

membersmembers

Hollander’s studies on early conformityHollander’s studies on early conformity– 5 person groups; complex decisional task5 person groups; complex decisional task– Confederate demonstrated early conformity Confederate demonstrated early conformity

or notor not– Confederate showed nonconformity Confederate showed nonconformity – Results:Results:

Minority influence greater when confed. initially Minority influence greater when confed. initially conformedconformed

Theory of Idiosyncrasy Credits Theory of Idiosyncrasy Credits (Hollander)(Hollander)

To dissent To dissent effectively, you must effectively, you must first earn the right first earn the right by paying conformity by paying conformity dues called dues called idiosyncrasy credits.idiosyncrasy credits.

High status have High status have more idiosyncrasy more idiosyncrasy credits than low credits than low statusstatus

Reconciling Hollander and Reconciling Hollander and MoscoviciMoscovici

Different viewpoints:Different viewpoints:

Hollander: early conformity is goodHollander: early conformity is good

Moscovici: consistent nonconformity Moscovici: consistent nonconformity is importantis important

How Do Influence Processes How Do Influence Processes Work?Work?

Single process modelSingle process model– Social Impact TheorySocial Impact Theory

Dual process modelDual process model– Two processes: Compliance vs Two processes: Compliance vs

ConversionConversion

Social Impact TheorySocial Impact Theory

Latane’s Latane’s (1981, 1996)(1981, 1996) theory of dynamic theory of dynamic social impact social impact social influence is social influence is primarily a function of 3 variables:primarily a function of 3 variables:

1.1. Strength (status)Strength (status)

2.2. Immediacy (proximity)Immediacy (proximity)

3.3. Number (how many others are trying Number (how many others are trying to influence me? how big is my to influence me? how big is my group?)group?)

I = f(SIN)I = f(SIN)

Compliance vs Conversion

Majorities evoke only public conformity via Majorities evoke only public conformity via normative influence: normative influence: COMPLIANCECOMPLIANCE– Resolve conflict in public but resist change in private

because it threatens self-determination– Not very thoughtful process; results in changes in overt

behavior not necessarily private attitudes– Direct influence

Minorities evoke conversion via informational Minorities evoke conversion via informational influenceinfluence : : CONVERSIONCONVERSION– Fear of losing face/appearing deviant in public realm,

therefore resolve conflict in private realm– Force a systematic processing of information; results in

changed attitudes– Indirect influence

Compliance vs. Compliance vs. ConversionConversion

Example study Example study (Nemeth & (Nemeth & Wachtler, 1974)Wachtler, 1974)

5 person simulated jury5 person simulated juryMake award in personal injury Make award in personal injury casecaseConfederate argued for low Confederate argued for low awardawardResults:Results:– Direct influence: Direct influence:

Final vote: majority Final vote: majority unchanged- gave big awardunchanged- gave big award

– Indirect influence:Indirect influence:On second case gave On second case gave significantly smaller awardssignificantly smaller awards

Convergent & Divergent Convergent & Divergent ThinkingThinking

Exposure to minority:– Attend to more aspects of the situation– More divergent thinking– More likely to detect novel solutions or come to new

decisions

Exposure to majority:– More stressful– Focus on aspects of the stimuli pertinent to the majority

view– More convergent thinking– Tend to adopt proposed solution to neglect of more

novel solutions

Implications of Deviance for Implications of Deviance for Enhancing Group Enhancing Group

EffectivenessEffectivenessEncourage the expression of minority Encourage the expression of minority viewpointsviewpoints

Consider earning high status in group before Consider earning high status in group before deviatingdeviating

If low status, calmly and persistently present If low status, calmly and persistently present a reasonable argumenta reasonable argument

Avoid the Abilene ParadoxAvoid the Abilene Paradox

Minority InfluenceMinority Influence

Video: 12 Angry Video: 12 Angry MenMen

Small Groups ExerciseSmall Groups Exercise

Discuss the film clip you just Discuss the film clip you just watched. How did minority watched. How did minority influence work? Why do you think influence work? Why do you think the main character was able to the main character was able to persuade the other 11 jurors?persuade the other 11 jurors?