Social change
AS Psychology, AQA A, unit 2- social…read more

Social change
This is when societies change their views and behaviours
overtime. This happens because people show
independent behaviour, then a minority forms and
overtime minorities can change the opinions of the
majority through informational social change.…read more

Social impact theory
Explains how minorities can be influential as they should
be:
· Immediacy: minorities should be close to you
· Strength: minorities should be respected and be
consistent in their views to be influential
· Number: larger minorities are more influential as are
they when more time is spent with them.…read more

Serge Moscovici- supports social impact
theory
method
· 4 naive participants and 2 confederates (the
minority) in each group
· Participants were told the experiment was about
eyesight test for colour blindness
· They had to say which colour appeared on the screen-
green or blue. There were 36 slides and the colour
changed by using a colour filter. The control condition
was when the confederates weren't present.
Findings
· Minority influence occurred on 8% of the trials…read more

Serge Moscovici- supports social impact
theory
· The error rate in the control condition was less than
1%
· 32% participants were influenced at least once by the
minority
Conclusions
· This shows that minority can influence the majority if
the minority is consistent in their views
· The minority effects the private opinions caused by
informational social influence which leads to
internalisation…read more

Serge Moscovici- supports social impact
theory
Evaluation
· Low ecological validity- artificial as it used a
unrealistic situation and it was a lab experiment so
results may be different in real life
· Ethical issues- deception- participants were not told
the real aim of the experiment meaning they couldn't
give their fully informed consent…read more