Minority Influence Evaluation

Question 1

What research supports the idea that converting to a minority requires deeper processing of the idea?

Answer 1

Martin et al (2003)

Question 2

What was the procedure of Martin et al (2003)?

Answer 2

. Measured support of participants after being given a message supporting a particular viewpoint
. OE group then heard a minority group agree with the initial view while the other group heard the support from a m

Question 3

What were the findings and conclusion of Martin et al (2003)?

Answer 3

People were less willing to change their opinions if they listened to a minority group rather than if they shared the view of a majority group
Conclusion:

Question 4

How is minority influence research limited?

Answer 4

The tasks involved are often artificial e.g identifying the colour of a slide
- this means the finding on how minorities attempt to change the behaviour of minorities in these studies lack ecological validity
- real life situations are far more important such as with political campaigning, meaning a deeper level of thought is needed compared to what is suggested in the research

Question 5

What is the main research support for consistency?

Answer 5

Wood et al (1994)

Question 6

What was procedure of Moscovici et al

Answer 6

• Each group compromised 4 naive participants and a minority of 2 confeds, shown a series of blue slides
• In consistent experimental condition, 2 confeds kept calling blue slides green, in inconsistent condition, theconfeds called the slides green 2/3 of the time
• in control condition there were 6 participants, no confeds and participants called slides Ble pure throughout

Question 7

What were the findings of Moscovici et al

Answer 7

• showed that the consistent minority influenced the naive participants to say green on 8% of the trials.
• the inconsistent minority exerted very little influence.
• after main study, participants were asked to sort 16 coloured discs into blue or green, with 3 being from the blue end of the spectrum and vice verse, individuals who’d been in the 2 different groups set the threshold at different points, with those in consistent condition judging the colours to be more green.

Question 8

What was the procedure and findings of Wood et al?

Answer 8

Carried out a meta-analysis of almost 100 studies similar to Moscovici et al
- minorities seen as consistent were the most influential