Social Change Model Answers
Q1. Explain what is meant by social change. (Total 2 marks)
Social change refers to the process by which society adopts new beliefs, attitudes, or behaviours over time. This can occur through minority influence, conformity, or obedience, leading to shifts in societal norms and values.
Q2. Using your knowledge of social influence processes in social change, explain why fewer and fewer people are using single-use plastic items. (Total 6 marks)
Social change occurs when a minority group campaigns for change, using consistency, commitment, and flexibility. For example, environmental activists consistently promote reusable alternatives to plastic. Over time, this minority influence leads to a tipping point where their ideas are internalised by the majority.
Conformity processes also play a role, particularly normative social influence (NSI), as individuals avoid single-use plastics to gain social approval or avoid criticism. Governments have reinforced this through obedience mechanisms, such as introducing bans or taxes on plastic items, legitimising the change and accelerating its adoption.
Q3. Using your knowledge of social influence processes in social change, explain possible reasons for this change in behaviour. (Total 6 marks)
The decline in smoking among young people may be due to minority influence, as public health campaigns have consistently advocated against smoking, highlighting its health risks. These campaigns have shown commitment by using shocking imagery and real-life testimonials, persuading individuals to change their attitudes.
Conformity also plays a role, as the social norms around smoking have shifted. Normative social influence discourages smoking to avoid disapproval, while informational social influence has educated young people on the dangers of smoking. Additionally, obedience mechanisms, such as government-imposed bans on smoking in public places, reinforce this behaviour change.
Q4. Explain how social influence processes contribute to social change. (Total 4 marks)
Social change often begins with minority influence, where consistent, committed, and flexible minorities challenge the majority’s views. Over time, their ideas gain traction, leading to a tipping point where the majority internalises these views.
Conformity processes, such as normative social influence, encourage individuals to align with new norms to gain approval. Finally, obedience to authority, through the introduction of laws and policies, reinforces the change by providing legitimacy to the new behaviours or attitudes.
Q5. With reference to the article above, explain how social influence leads to social change. (Total 6 marks)
Social influence leads to social change through processes such as minority influence, conformity, and obedience. For example, minority groups advocating for gay rights likely used consistency, commitment, and flexibility to challenge societal norms, eventually leading to the majority internalising these views.
As public attitudes shifted, normative social influence encouraged more people to accept same-sex relationships to avoid social disapproval. Legal changes, such as those supporting gay marriage, also reinforced this change by legitimising equality through obedience to authority.
Q6. With reference to this example of social change, explain how psychology might affect the economy. (Total 4 marks)
Understanding social change, such as encouraging healthy eating, helps reduce long-term healthcare costs. By promoting healthy behaviours through conformity processes, like normative social influence, individuals adopt healthier lifestyles. This reduces the prevalence of chronic illnesses, lowering medical expenses and increasing workplace productivity, which benefits the economy.
Q7. Using an example, explain the role of social influence processes in social change. (Total 6 marks)
An example is the reduction in smoking rates. Minority influence, such as public health campaigns, consistently promoted the dangers of smoking, using shocking images and real-life stories to persuade the majority.
Conformity also played a role, with individuals avoiding smoking due to normative social influence, as smoking became socially unacceptable. Governments reinforced this change through obedience mechanisms, such as introducing smoking bans and increasing taxes, legitimising the shift in behaviour.
Q8. Using your knowledge of the role of minority influence in social change, what advice would you give the environmental group? (Total 6 marks)
The environmental group should remain consistent in their message, advocating for public transport and cycling as environmentally friendly alternatives. They should also demonstrate commitment by adopting these behaviours themselves, such as cycling to meetings, to show their dedication.
Additionally, they should show flexibility by acknowledging the challenges of using public transport or bicycles while emphasising the long-term benefits, making their campaign more persuasive to the majority.
Q9. Explain how social influence research helps us to understand social change. (Total 6 marks)
Research shows that minority influence initiates social change when a consistent and committed group advocates for a cause, gradually persuading the majority. Conformity processes, such as normative social influence, encourage individuals to adopt new behaviours to gain social approval.
Finally, obedience to authority reinforces social change when laws or policies legitimise new norms. For example, legal bans on smoking in public places accelerated changes in societal attitudes and behaviours.
Q10. Explain how a minority can bring about social change. (Total 4 marks)
A minority can bring about social change by demonstrating consistency, maintaining their views over time, and showing commitment, such as making personal sacrifices to support their cause. They must also show flexibility, adapting their message to address counterarguments. These factors increase their credibility and encourage the majority to internalise their views.
Q11. How has social influence research helped our understanding of social change? (Total 4 marks)
Social influence research highlights the importance of minority influence, where consistent, committed, and flexible groups persuade the majority. Conformity processes, such as normative social influence, show how adopting new norms becomes socially desirable. Research into obedience explains how authority figures and laws legitimize social change.
Q12. Using your knowledge of the psychology of social change, explain why recycling is now behaviour carried out by a majority of people in this country. (Total 6 marks)
Recycling began with minority influence, as environmental activists consistently advocated for it, showing commitment through actions like community initiatives. Over time, their views were internalised by the majority.
Normative social influence also played a role, as people recycled to gain social approval and avoid disapproval. Governments reinforced this through obedience mechanisms, such as providing recycling bins and penalising non-recyclers, legitimising the behaviour.
Q13. Using your knowledge of the psychology of social change, explain how this social change has occurred. (Total 4 marks)
Social change began with minority influence, as health campaigners consistently highlighted the dangers of smoking and the benefits of smoke-free environments. This led to shifts in social norms, driven by normative social influence, as people wanted to avoid social disapproval for smoking in public. Finally, the government introduced a legal ban, legitimising the change through obedience to authority.
Q14. Describe how social influence research has contributed to our understanding of social change. (Total 6 marks)
Research shows that minority influence initiates social change through consistency, commitment, and flexibility. Conformity processes explain how new norms spread via normative social influence, and obedience research highlights how laws and policies reinforce these changes by legitimising new behaviours.
Q15. What are the implications for social change of research into social influence? (Total 6 marks)
Research demonstrates the power of minority influence, where committed and consistent groups initiate change. Conformity processes, particularly normative social influence, show how societal norms shift as individuals adopt new behaviours to gain approval. Additionally, obedience research highlights the importance of authority figures and policies in reinforcing and legitimising social change. This knowledge has practical applications in promoting positive changes, such as public health campaigns and environmental initiatives.