Minority and majority influence on mental health stigma

Overview

Consistent minorities and Moscovici's slides study, the snowball effect, Time to Change, social norms campaigns, and changing attitudes against changing behaviour.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is minority influence?

   Model answer

   Minority influence is when a small group or one person changes the views of the majority. Minority influence usually produces a genuine, private change of attitude called conversion.

2. 2

   What makes a minority persuasive, according to Moscovici?

   Model answer

   A minority must be consistent, repeating the same view over time. The minority must also show commitment and be flexible enough to seem reasonable.

3. 3

   What did Moscovici's (1969) blue and green slides study show?

   Model answer

   A consistent minority of confederates who called blue slides green led participants to say green on about 8% of trials. An inconsistent minority had almost no effect.

4. 4

   What is the snowball effect in social change?

   Model answer

   The snowball effect is when a minority view gradually wins over more and more people. The change speeds up as the view spreads, until it becomes the majority view.

5. 5

   How can minority influence reduce mental health stigma?

   Model answer

   Campaigners and people with lived experience can speak out consistently about mental illness over many years. A consistent, committed message can gradually change the views of the majority.

6. 6

   How can minority influence increase awareness of mental health problems?

   Model answer

   Public figures who talk openly about their own mental health problems show commitment, as they risk stigma themselves. Public disclosure draws attention to mental health and starts conversations.

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