Blackwell Reference Online

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It has been estimated that there are over 200 attempts to influence our opinions every day. Every time we read a newspaper, listen to the television, or hear a debate, other people are trying to influence our attitudes and opinions. Sometimes these may be direct or active attempts to change our views (such as advertisements or health promotion campaigns). On other occasions they may be passive attempts (such as reporting opinion polls). In these situations people often support their arguments by claiming that most other people (or a majority of the population) hold a similar view, and discount alternative arguments by claiming that only a few people (or a minority) support that position. This provides an interesting research question, which is not only important for theoretical reasons but also has applied implications. Does the numerical support of a persuasive message (whether it be majority or minority) affect the level of attitude change? The aim of this chapter is to address this issue by reviewing research examining majority and minority influence. Historically research on majority and minority influence has gone through three distinct chronological stages. The first stage of research (pre-1970), mainly conducted in North America, was concerned with the ability of the majority to cause individuals to conform or comply with its view. The second stage of research (late 1960s-1980), ... log in or subscribe to read full text