Moscovici

Reaching a Verdict – How Psychology Can Inform Behaviour in the Courtroom

Reaching A Verdict

3.3 Minority Influence

·         Minority influence occurs when a minority rejects the established norm of the majority of group members and gets the majority to move to the position of the minority.

Key Study: Moscovici, Investigation of the Influence of Perceived Autonomy on Minority Influence

Aims:-

·         To examine minority influence.

·         In particular, to compare the impact of a consistent minority and an inconsistent minority on the views of the majority.

·         Moscovici proposed that the minority must be consistent in its views and that this consistency will create conflict in the others, leading them to question and possibly change their views. 

·         This experiment aimed to test the effects of consistency where the task is clear cut- unambiguous.

Procedures:-

·         All participants were female because…