Social influence Study Guide

Social change refers to the process by which a society undergoes alterations in its beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours. This process is often driven by different forms of social influence: minority influence and majority influence. Majority influence, also known as conformity, occurs when the larger group's beliefs or behaviours shape those of individuals, often due to normative social influence (desire to fit in) or informational social influence (belief that others are correct). This can lead to public compliance without private acceptance.

Minority influence, conversely, happens when a smaller group or individual persuades a larger group to adopt their beliefs or behaviours. For a minority to be effective, it typically needs to display consistency (maintain a stable position over time and across different members), commitment (demonstrate dedication, sometimes through personal sacrifice), and flexibility (be willing to compromise to some extent, avoiding rigid dogmatism). These characteristics can lead to deeper, private acceptance (internalisation) by the majority, as people are motivated to scrutinise the minority's viewpoint more carefully. Moscovici's research on minority influence, for example, demonstrated how a consistent minority could sway a majority. The impact of minority influence is often slower but can lead to more fundamental and lasting social change compared to majority influence, which might result in quicker but superficial changes. Understanding both types of influence helps explain how movements from civil rights to environmental protection have been able to shift societal norms.

Bickman (1974) conducted a field experiment to investigate the power of uniform in influencing obedience. The study involved three male confederates who dressed in different outfits: a guard's uniform, a milkman's uniform, and a civilian outfit (sports jacket and tie). These confederates then approached random passers-by on Brooklyn streets in New York and gave one of three instructions: 'Pick up this bag for me,' 'Give this man a dime,' or 'Stand on the other side of this bus stop sign.' The researchers observed how many people obeyed each command and for each uniform. A fourth confederate observed and recorded the behaviour of the participants. The findings revealed that people were most likely to obey the confederate dressed as a guard (e.g., 76% obedience for picking up the bag), followed by the milkman (47%), and then the civilian (30%). This suggested that the perception of legitimate authority, conveyed through uniform, significantly increases obedience. Bickman's study provides strong evidence that external cues, such as uniform, can influence compliance with requests, even when the person giving the command has no actual authority over the recipient. The study is a classic example of social psychology research exploring factors influencing obedience in everyday settings.