Minority influence - evaluation

Strength: supported by research evidence
Moscovici et al showed that a consistent minority opinion had a greater effect on others than an inconsistent opinion. Wood et al (1994) carried out a meta-analysis of almost 100 similar studies and found that minorities who were seen as being consistent were the most influential. This suggests that consistency is a major factor in minority influence

Strength: supported by research evidence
Martin et al (2003) gave participants a message supported a particular viewpoint and measured their support. Participants then heard a minority group agree with the initial view, whilst another group heard this from a majority group. Both groups were then exposed to a conflicting view and attitudes were measured again. Martin et al found that people were less willing to change their opinion if they had listened to a minority group rather than if they were shared with a majority group. This suggests that the minority…