The contributors to this volume examine social processes in terms of minority influence.

The contributors to this volume examine social processes in terms of minority influence.

Social groups form an important part of our daily lives. Within these groups pressures exist which encourage the individual to comply with the group’s viewpoint. This influence, which creates social conformity, is known as ‘majority influence’ and is the dominant process of social control. However, there also exists a ‘minority influence’, which emerges from a small subsection of the group and is a dynamic force for social change. Minority Influence and Innovation seeks to identify the conditions under which minority influence can prevail, to change established norms, stimulate original thinking and help us to see the world in new ways. With chapters written by a range of expert contributors, areas of discussion include: processes and theoretical issues the factors which affect majority and minority influence interactions between majority and minority group members This book offers a thorough evaluation of the most important current developments within this field and presents consideration of the issues that will be at the forefront of future research. As such it will be of interest to theorists and practitioners working in social psychology.

Majority and minority influence research examines how groups influence the attitudes, thoughts and behaviours of individuals, groups and society as a whole. This volume collects recent work by an international group of scholars, representing a variety of different theoretical approaches to majority and minority influence. The book provides a thorough evaluation of significant current developments with a particular focus on how active minorities can influence people’s thinking and behaviour, fight against conformity and contribute to real social change. It also discusses the following themes: Social vs. cognitive processes of social influence: cooperation vs. antagonism Majority and minority influence: a singular or a dual socio-psychological process? Conversion vs appropriation of minority ideas Different meta-theoretical considerations underlying social influence research New avenues for future research are presented and many are born from a new integration between influence and persuasion theoretical traditions. By focusing on the societal dimension of social influence this book contributes to filling a theoretical and epistemological gap in the relative literature. It offers a balanced and thorough presentation of the distinct theoretical and epistemological approaches employed by active and important researchers in the field making it essential reading for researchers and upper-level students of social psychology.

Looks at the processes and spread of social innovation, the mechanisms of which are rooted in the conflict that minorities can create in others and introduce into the social system. These innovations give rise initially to discrimination and then to new norms which replace the old ones.

Society consists of numerous interconnected, interacting, and interdependent groups, which differ in power and status. The consequences of belonging to a higher-status "majority" versus a lower-status "minority" can be profound. To understand the origins of the problems caused by majority-minority tensions and develop solutions, it is necessary to understand the dynamics of majority-minority relations. This volume brings together leading scholars in the fields of stigma, prejudice and discrimination, minority influence, and intergroup relations to provide diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives on what it means to be a minority.

"Look out, Goliath—David has a training manual! . . . One of the best books on social psychology ever written." ---Daniel Gilbert, New York Times bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness No one doubts the power of the majority. It makes the rules and enforces them, and most of us are willing to go along with it, most of the time. But what happens when you're not? What about when the issue is so important to you that you're willing to take on the naysayers? It doesn't matter if you're trying to sell a new product or service, persuade colleagues to try out a new business plan, start a revolution, or simply convince your family where to go for dinner. In all of these cases you're going up against the majority, and more often than not your efforts are going to come up short. Or at least that was the case before Dr. William Crano—an expert in the field of influence—applied the science of persuasion to those moments when you find yourself outnumbered and overmatched. By doing so, he has discovered proven strategies, such as working from the inside and changing the game from subjective preferences to objective decisions, and distilled these strategies and more into an extraordinary collection of rules that radically affect the likelihood of success. The Rules of Influence—the most powerful guide to being persuasive even under the most inhospitable conditions—gives you the tools to overcome overwhelming odds and take back control in every situation.