Minority influence | AQA A-Level Psychology Revision
Updated: Sep 9
For 7182 specification, first teach in September 2025
AQA A-Level Psychology | Free Revision Notes
Estimated study time: 40 minutes
These Minority influence A-Level Psychology revision notes explain how a smaller group can persuade a majority to reconsider its position. You will explore the importance of consistency, commitment and flexibility, as well as research used to evaluate these processes. Minority influence differs from simply following a larger group because it requires the minority to challenge an established view. This lesson builds on majority pressure and conformity and shows how influence can flow from a minority towards a majority.
Learning Objectives 🎯
By the end of this revision page, you should be able to:
Define minority influence.
Explain synchronic and diachronic consistency.
Explain how commitment can increase a minority’s influence.
Explain why flexibility may make a minority more persuasive.
Apply consistency, commitment and flexibility to unfamiliar situations.
Evaluate explanations of how minorities influence majorities.
Revision Notes đź“š
Minority influence A-Level Psychology revision overview
Minority influence occurs when a smaller group or individual persuades members of a majority to reconsider or adopt the minority’s position.
The minority begins without the numerical advantage enjoyed by the majority. It cannot usually depend on the pressure created by group size or unanimity.
Instead, a successful minority may gain influence by demonstrating:
Consistency
Commitment
Flexibility
These processes can make the majority pay attention to the minority’s message and think more carefully about its own position.
Minority influence is therefore different from the pressure to agree with a majority.
How minority influence differs from majority influence
Majority influence | Minority influence |
Influence comes from the larger group | Influence comes from an individual or smaller group |
May involve pressure to fit in | Often requires the minority to challenge the existing norm |
Group size and unanimity can be important | Consistency, commitment and flexibility are important |
The individual may agree publicly without changing privately | The majority may reconsider and privately adopt the minority’s view |
The majority already represents the dominant position | The minority is attempting to change the dominant position |
Minority influence is not simply a minority repeatedly demanding agreement. The minority must make its position noticeable, credible and worthy of consideration.
Consistency
Consistency means that the minority maintains a stable position.
A consistent minority:
Repeats the same central message over time.
Avoids contradicting itself.
Shows agreement between its members.
Continues supporting its position despite majority opposition.
Consistency can make the majority take the minority seriously because the message does not disappear when challenged.
A stable position may suggest that the minority:
Genuinely believes its argument.
Has carefully considered the issue.
Is confident that its position is correct.
Is not simply responding to temporary pressure.
Synchronic consistency
Synchronic consistency means agreement between members of the minority at the same time.
For example, three members of a committee all argue that an existing policy should be changed. They give compatible reasons and support the same overall proposal.
The minority appears united because its members do not contradict one another.
Synchronic consistency can increase influence because:
The majority encounters a clear and united alternative.
The minority’s position appears more credible.
The majority cannot dismiss the view as the isolated opinion of one person.
Majority members may begin questioning their own assumptions.
Application example
Four employees propose replacing an unfair rota system. Each employee gives the same central argument and supports the same alternative.
Their agreement demonstrates synchronic consistency. The majority may pay more attention because the minority presents a united position rather than a collection of unrelated complaints.
Diachronic consistency
Diachronic consistency means maintaining the same position over time.
For example, a student representative argues throughout several meetings that assessment deadlines should be coordinated. They continue presenting the same central proposal despite initial opposition.
Diachronic consistency can increase influence because:
The minority does not abandon its position when challenged.
Repeated exposure makes the message difficult to ignore.
Persistence suggests genuine belief.
The majority has repeated opportunities to consider the argument.
The likely process is:
Minority maintains its position → message attracts attention → majority examines the issue → some majority members reconsider their view
Comparing synchronic and diachronic consistency
Synchronic consistency | Diachronic consistency |
Agreement between minority members | Stability across time |
Focuses on unity within the minority | Focuses on persistence |
Minority members support the same central position | The minority does not continually change its message |
Makes the minority appear united | Makes the minority appear determined and confident |
A minority can demonstrate both forms at once.
For example, several campaigners may agree with one another and continue expressing that position over several months.
Why consistency can increase minority influence
A majority may initially dismiss a minority because the minority is smaller and does not represent the existing norm.
Consistency can disrupt this response.
A consistent minority may create uncertainty within the majority:
“Why are they maintaining this view?”
“Have they noticed something we have missed?”
“Why have they not changed their position?”
“Could our own view be mistaken?”
This encourages majority members to examine both positions more carefully.
Consistency does not force the majority to agree. It creates the conditions in which the minority’s argument is more likely to receive serious attention.
Research into consistency
Moscovici and colleagues investigated whether a consistent minority would be more influential than an inconsistent minority.
Participants completed a colour-judgement task in groups that included a minority of confederates. The minority sometimes consistently described blue slides as green. In another condition, its responses were inconsistent.
The consistent minority produced more agreement than the inconsistent minority. Approximately 8% of responses followed the consistent minority’s judgement.
This supports the importance of consistency because the minority was more influential when it maintained the same position.
The research does not show that consistency guarantees influence. Most responses did not follow the minority, demonstrating that minority influence can be a gradual and difficult process.
Evaluating consistency
Consistency can make a minority appear confident and principled. However, it can also create a problem.
A minority that refuses to consider any alternative may appear:
Rigid
Unreasonable
Dogmatic
Unwilling to engage with evidence
This could reduce its influence.
The minority therefore needs to balance consistency with flexibility. It should maintain its central position without appearing incapable of compromise.
Commitment
Commitment means demonstrating dedication to the minority’s position.
A committed minority does more than state an opinion. Its members show that the issue matters to them through sustained effort, personal sacrifice or willingness to accept costs.
Commitment may be demonstrated by:
Investing considerable time in the cause.
Continuing despite criticism.
Accepting personal inconvenience.
Taking a reasonable risk to defend the position.
Making a visible effort that the majority would not expect.
Commitment can increase minority influence because it shows that the minority genuinely
believes its argument.
The augmentation principle
The augmentation principle proposes that a minority’s influence may increase when its members demonstrate unusual commitment or make sacrifices for their position.
The majority may reason:
“They must believe this strongly if they are willing to experience these costs.”
The minority’s behaviour therefore attracts attention and gives greater weight to its message.
The likely process is:
The minority demonstrates commitment.
The majority notices the effort or sacrifice.
The minority appears sincere and confident.
The majority takes the message more seriously.
Some members reconsider their position.
Applying commitment
A small group of students wants the college to reduce unnecessary waste.
They:
Attend every consultation meeting.
Research possible alternatives.
Give up their own time to organise a trial.
Continue despite receiving criticism.
Their behaviour demonstrates commitment because they invest considerable time and effort in the proposal.
The majority may decide that the minority genuinely believes the change is important and may therefore examine the proposal more carefully.
A weak application would state:
The students are committed because they care.
A stronger application would identify the visible behaviour showing commitment and explain why it may increase the minority’s credibility.
Commitment is not the same as consistency
The two processes are closely related but distinct.
Consistency | Commitment |
Maintaining a stable position | Demonstrating dedication to the position |
Shown through agreement and persistence | Shown through effort, sacrifice or personal cost |
Makes the message clear and dependable | Makes the minority appear sincere and determined |
Includes synchronic and diachronic consistency | Can involve the augmentation principle |
A minority may be consistent without demonstrating substantial commitment.
For example, someone might repeat the same argument at every meeting but invest no additional effort in supporting it.
A minority may also appear committed through effort, although its central message still needs to remain clear.
Flexibility
Flexibility means that the minority is willing to consider reasonable alternatives, acknowledge counterarguments and make appropriate concessions.
A flexible minority:
Listens to the majority.
Responds to valid objections.
Adapts parts of its proposal.
Accepts reasonable compromises.
Maintains its central position without appearing rigid.
Flexibility does not mean abandoning the minority’s argument whenever it faces opposition.
Instead, the minority shows that it can distinguish between:
Its essential position.
Details that can reasonably be negotiated.
Why flexibility increases influence
A completely rigid minority may appear dogmatic.
This can lead the majority to dismiss the minority without considering its argument.
Flexibility may make the minority more persuasive because it shows:
Reasonableness
Cooperation
Awareness of alternative views
Willingness to engage in discussion
Confidence without inflexibility
The process can be summarised as:
Minority acknowledges majority concerns → minority appears reasonable → communication remains open → majority considers the proposal more carefully
Applying flexibility
A minority of employees proposes replacing all in-person meetings with online meetings.
The majority argues that some meetings require face-to-face discussion. The minority modifies its proposal, suggesting that routine meetings become online while complex meetings remain in person.
The minority demonstrates flexibility because it:
Acknowledges the majority’s concern.
Makes a concession.
Preserves the central aim of reducing unnecessary meetings.
Avoids appearing rigid.
This may make the proposal more persuasive than refusing to consider any exceptions.
Flexibility is not inconsistency
Flexibility and inconsistency are not the same.
An inconsistent minority repeatedly changes its central position, making its message unclear.
A flexible minority maintains its main argument while adapting details or accepting valid counterarguments.
Inconsistency | Flexibility |
The central message repeatedly changes | The central message remains recognisable |
The minority may contradict itself | The minority responds constructively |
The majority may become unsure what is being proposed | The majority can understand both the position and possible compromise |
Credibility may be reduced | Persuasiveness may be increased |
A useful distinction is:
Consistency protects the core message. Flexibility changes the route, not necessarily the destination.
Research into flexibility
Research using group decision-making tasks has found that minorities may be more successful when they show a willingness to compromise.
In a jury-style situation, Nemeth and Brilmayer found that a minority offering a compromise was more likely to influence the majority than a minority that remained completely rigid.
This supports flexibility because the minority became more persuasive when it acknowledged the majority’s position and adjusted its proposal.
However, too much flexibility could weaken the message. If the minority repeatedly gives way, the majority may no longer see a clear alternative position.
Balancing consistency and flexibility
Consistency and flexibility can appear contradictory:
Consistency requires the minority to maintain its position.
Flexibility requires the minority to adapt.
A successful minority may need both.
The minority should be:
Consistent about its central goal.
Flexible about how that goal is achieved.
For example, a minority may consistently argue that a workplace policy is unfair while remaining flexible about the exact replacement policy.
This balance allows the minority to appear:
Principled but not dogmatic.
Confident but not dismissive.
Persistent but still cooperative.
How the three processes work together
Consistency, commitment and flexibility can combine to produce minority influence.
Process | What the minority does | Why it may influence the majority |
Consistency | Maintains a clear position between members and over time | Makes the message noticeable and encourages the majority to reconsider |
Commitment | Demonstrates dedication, effort or sacrifice | Makes the minority appear sincere and confident |
Flexibility | Acknowledges counterarguments and makes reasonable concessions | Prevents the minority from appearing rigid or dogmatic |
A possible sequence is:
Consistency makes the majority notice the minority’s position.
Commitment makes the minority appear sincere and determined.
Flexibility makes discussion and persuasion possible.
Majority members examine the issue more carefully.
Some majority members adopt the minority’s position as their own.
Minority influence may therefore lead to a genuine change in private beliefs rather than only temporary public agreement.
This connects to the distinction between internalisation and compliance.
Minority influence is often gradual
A minority may not change the majority immediately.
Majority members may initially:
Reject the minority’s argument publicly.
Avoid associating themselves with an unpopular view.
Require time to consider the evidence.
Change their private belief before expressing it openly.
The absence of immediate public agreement does not necessarily mean that the minority has had no influence.
A consistent and committed message may continue to affect how majority members think about an issue.
Applying all three processes
Consider the following scenario:
A minority of three residents wants a council to create safer cycling routes.
All three residents present the same central proposal.
They repeat the proposal at several meetings.
They collect evidence and spend weekends consulting local people.
When businesses raise concerns about access, they amend part of the route.
The minority demonstrates:
Synchronic consistency because all three support the same proposal.
Diachronic consistency because they maintain it across several meetings.
Commitment because they invest time and effort.
Flexibility because they alter part of the route in response to a valid concern.
A developed application answer explains why each behaviour may increase the minority’s influence rather than simply labelling the processes.
Evaluating explanations of minority influence
Research supports consistency
Moscovici’s research found that a consistent minority influenced more responses than an inconsistent minority.
This supports the explanation because maintaining the same response increased the minority’s effect on the majority.
The controlled task allowed consistency to be manipulated while other aspects of the procedure remained similar. This helps researchers investigate whether consistency contributed to the difference in responses.
Research supports flexibility
The jury-style research associated with Nemeth and Brilmayer suggests that minorities can become more persuasive by offering a compromise.
This supports the idea that a minority must avoid appearing excessively rigid.
It also demonstrates that consistency alone may not be sufficient. A minority may need to combine a stable central position with a willingness to negotiate.
Artificial tasks may limit validity
Some minority influence research uses artificial tasks, such as naming the colour of slides.
These decisions are less meaningful than many real minority positions involving:
Moral beliefs
Political decisions
Workplace practices
Social relationships
Personal risks
Participants may respond differently when the issue has genuine consequences.
This may reduce ecological validity because behaviour during a short laboratory task may not fully represent real minority-majority relationships.
Laboratory minorities may lack real differences in power
In controlled research, the majority and minority may consist of participants with similar status.
Real-life minorities may face:
Unequal power.
Strong social consequences.
Long histories of disagreement.
Institutional opposition.
Risks associated with expressing their position.
This means laboratory findings may underestimate the difficulty of minority influence in everyday situations.
The processes are difficult to separate
Consistency, commitment and flexibility may occur together.
A person who repeatedly defends a position may appear both consistent and committed. A minority that makes a compromise may also strengthen its long-term consistency by keeping its central goal achievable.
This makes it difficult to determine which process caused the influence.
The three factors may be better understood as interacting features rather than completely separate explanations.
Consistency can become counterproductive
Consistency increases influence only up to a point.
A minority that refuses to consider evidence may appear unreasonable. This could strengthen the majority’s opposition rather than weaken it.
Flexibility is therefore important because it prevents consistency from turning into dogmatism.
This evaluation shows that the effectiveness of one process depends on another.
Minority influence does not affect everyone
Even a consistent, committed and flexible minority may influence only some members of the majority.
Other factors may include:
How important the majority group is to its members.
Whether the minority is viewed as credible.
How strongly majority members hold their original beliefs.
Whether disagreeing carries social consequences.
Whether the issue is clear or uncertain.
The processes increase the likelihood of influence but do not guarantee it.
Answering application questions
Use the following structure when applying minority influence:
Name the process.
Select the relevant scenario detail.
Explain how the detail demonstrates the process.
Explain why this may influence the majority.
Weak application
The minority is consistent because it keeps trying.
This is too vague.
Stronger application
The minority demonstrates diachronic consistency because it presents the same central proposal at every meeting. Its persistence may make the majority take the argument seriously and reconsider its original position.
For commitment:
The campaigners give up their weekends to collect evidence, demonstrating personal investment. Under the augmentation principle, this sacrifice may make the majority view their position as sincere.
For flexibility:
The minority acknowledges the majority’s concern and changes one part of its proposal. This makes the minority appear reasonable rather than dogmatic while preserving its central argument.
Hints from the Examiner Reports đź’ˇ
Examiner hint: Do not confuse consistency with commitment. Consistency concerns maintaining the same position, while commitment is demonstrated through effort, sacrifice or personal investment.
Examiner hint: Use precise terminology. Stronger answers have distinguished between synchronic consistency and diachronic consistency rather than referring vaguely to a minority that “keeps saying the same thing”.
Examiner hint: Avoid tautology. Writing that “consistency is effective because the minority is consistent” does not explain the process. State why stability makes the majority pay attention or reconsider its position.
Examiner hint:Â When explaining flexibility, show that the minority adapts or acknowledges a counterargument so that it does not appear rigid. Flexibility is not simply changing its mind.
Examiner hint: Research evidence must be linked to the process it supports. Do not only describe Moscovici’s procedure. Explain that greater influence from the consistent condition supports consistency.
Examiner hint:Â Application questions require direct use of the scenario. Identify the exact behaviour showing consistency, commitment or flexibility and explain its likely effect on the majority.
Examiner hint:Â Developed evaluation and accurate specialist terminology are needed for higher levels. Real-life examples or research studies only add value when they remain focused on how minority influence works.
Common Mistakes ⚠️
Mistake: Defining minority influence as a minority conforming to a majority
Why this is incorrect:
Minority influence occurs when the smaller group affects the views of the majority, not when the minority follows the larger group.
How to improve:
State the direction of influence clearly:
The minority attempts to change the majority’s position.
Mistake: Treating consistency as simple repetition
Why this is incorrect:
Consistency includes agreement between minority members and stability over time. Repeating a message while frequently contradicting it would not demonstrate consistency.
How to improve:
Distinguish synchronic from diachronic consistency.
Mistake: Confusing consistency with commitment
Why this is incorrect:
Consistency concerns maintaining a position. Commitment concerns demonstrating dedication through effort, sacrifice or personal cost.
How to improve:
Ask:
Does the minority maintain the same view?
Does the minority invest or sacrifice something for that view?
Mistake: Saying that commitment means being emotionally enthusiastic
Why this is incorrect:
Enthusiasm alone does not demonstrate commitment. The majority needs evidence of dedication or investment.
How to improve:
Identify observable effort, persistence or sacrifice.
Mistake: Describing flexibility as abandoning the minority position
Why this is incorrect:
A minority can adapt details while maintaining its central argument.
How to improve:
Explain what is negotiable and what remains consistent.
Mistake: Assuming that flexibility and consistency cannot operate together
Why this is incorrect:
A successful minority can maintain its core message while making reasonable concessions about how the goal is achieved.
How to improve:
Explain the balance between a stable aim and an adaptable approach.
Mistake: Claiming that a consistent minority will always persuade the majority
Why this is incorrect:
Consistency increases the likelihood of influence but does not determine the majority’s response.
How to improve:
Use cautious language such as “may increase influence” or “makes persuasion more likely”.
Mistake: Saying that majority change must be immediate and public
Why this is incorrect:
Majority members may reconsider the issue privately before expressing agreement publicly.
How to improve:
Recognise that minority influence may develop gradually.
Mistake: Describing a research study without linking it to the explanation
Why this is incorrect:
Procedural details alone do not evaluate consistency, commitment or flexibility.
How to improve:
State what the findings demonstrate about the named process.
Mistake: Giving generic methodological evaluation
Why this is incorrect:
A comment such as “laboratory research is artificial” lacks development.
How to improve:
Explain that trivial tasks may not represent situations in which minorities face unequal power, meaningful consequences or strong social opposition.
Exam-Style Questions ✍️
Question 1
Which one of the following best describes synchronic consistency?
A. Maintaining a position over a long period
B. Agreement between members of a minority
C. Accepting every argument offered by the majority
D. Making a personal sacrifice for a cause
[1 mark]
reveal mark scheme and indicative content
Answer: B. Agreement between members of a minority
Question 2
Define commitment in the context of minority influence.
[2 marks]
reveal mark scheme and indicative content
Mark scheme
AO1 = 2
2 marks:Â Clear definition referring to dedication to the minority position, with appropriate elaboration.
1 mark:Â Limited or partial definition.
Indicative content
Demonstrating strong dedication to the minority's position.
May involve personal sacrifice or risk.
Can draw attention to the minority and demonstrate the strength of its belief, known as the augmentation principle.
Example answer
Commitment occurs when a minority demonstrates dedication to its position, for example by making personal sacrifices. This can make the majority take the minority's argument more seriously.
Question 3
Explain one difference between synchronic consistency and diachronic consistency.
[3 marks]
reveal mark scheme and indicative content
Mark scheme
AO1 = 3
1 mark:Â Synchronic consistency involves agreement between members of the minority.
1 mark:Â Diachronic consistency involves maintaining the same position over time.
1 mark:Â Clear comparison or elaboration.
AQA explicitly recognises this distinction.
Example answer
Synchronic consistency occurs when all members of a minority agree with one another at the same time. Diachronic consistency occurs when the minority maintains the same position over a period of time.
Question 4
A minority of students proposes changing the college timetable. Every member presents the same central argument, and the group repeats its proposal at each meeting.
Explain how consistency may increase the minority’s influence.
[4 marks]
reveal mark scheme and indicative content
Mark scheme
AO2 = 4
Award 1 mark each for:
All members presenting the same argument demonstrates synchronic consistency.
This presents the minority as united and confident.
Repeating the proposal at each meeting demonstrates diachronic consistency.
Persistent consistency may cause the majority to reconsider its own position and give greater attention to the minority's argument.
Example answer
The students show synchronic consistency because every member supports the same central argument. They also show diachronic consistency because they repeat the proposal over several meetings. This consistent position may make the majority take the proposal seriously and reconsider its own view.
Question 5
A small group of employees wants their organisation to improve accessibility. They spend their own time gathering evidence and continue working on the proposal despite criticism.
Explain how commitment may increase the group’s influence.
[4 marks]
reveal mark scheme and indicative content
Mark scheme
AO2 = 4
Award 1 mark each for:
Spending their own time demonstrates commitment.
Continuing despite criticism demonstrates persistence and dedication.
Their personal sacrifice can make the majority take notice.
This illustrates the augmentation principle, increasing the perceived strength of the minority's belief.
Example answer
The employees demonstrate commitment by giving up their own time and continuing despite criticism. This personal sacrifice shows that they strongly believe in their cause. According to the augmentation principle, this may make others take their argument more seriously and increase their influence.
Question 6
A minority proposes that all staff should work remotely. After listening to concerns, it changes the proposal so that staff attend the workplace for important collaborative meetings.
Explain how flexibility may make the minority more influential.
[4 marks]
reveal mark scheme and indicative content
Mark scheme
AO2 = 4
Award 1 mark each for:
The minority listens to the majority's concerns.
It modifies its original position by allowing workplace attendance for collaborative meetings.
This demonstrates flexibility rather than appearing rigid or dogmatic.
A willingness to compromise may make the majority more willing to consider and accept the minority view.
AQA states that minorities should acknowledge or make concessions to the majority to avoid appearing too rigid.
Example answer
The minority demonstrates flexibility because it listens to objections and changes its proposal. By allowing attendance for important meetings, it shows that it is willing to compromise rather than being rigid. This may make the majority more willing to consider its overall proposal.
Question 7
A psychologist investigated minority influence in two conditions.
Condition | Minority behaviour | Percentage of majority responses agreeing |
A | Minority gave the same response on every trial | 9% |
B | Minority frequently changed its response | 2% |
Describe the pattern shown in the table. Use consistency to explain the difference between the conditions.
[4 marks]
reveal mark scheme and indicative content
Mark scheme
AO2 = 4
Award 1 mark each for:
Agreement is higher in Condition A than Condition B.
9%Â agree with the consistent minority compared with 2%Â with the inconsistent minority.
The minority in Condition A demonstrates consistency by giving the same response on every trial.
Consistency may make the majority reconsider its own view, increasing minority influence.
Example answer
The consistent minority produced more agreement, 9%, compared with only 2% for the inconsistent minority. In Condition A the minority maintains the same response, which may make it appear confident and certain. This can encourage the majority to reconsider its own view, increasing minority influence.
Question 8
Explain why consistency and flexibility may both be necessary for successful minority influence.
[6 marks]
reveal mark scheme and indicative content
Mark scheme
AO1 = 6
Award credit for explanation of both processes and how they work together.
Indicative content
Consistency makes the minority appear confident and certain.
Repetition encourages the majority to pay attention and reconsider its own position.
Consistency may be synchronic or diachronic.
However, excessive consistency can make the minority appear rigid or dogmatic.
Flexibility involves acknowledging counterarguments and making reasonable concessions.
A successful minority therefore needs to balance consistency with flexibility.
AQA's 2024 mark scheme explicitly states that minorities need to strike a balance between the two.
Example answer
Consistency can increase minority influence because a united and persistent minority appears confident, encouraging the majority to reconsider its own view. However, if the minority is too consistent it may appear rigid or dogmatic. Flexibility allows the minority to acknowledge reasonable counterarguments and make concessions. Therefore, successful minorities need to maintain their central position while also being prepared to compromise.
Question 9
A group of four residents wants a council to restrict traffic outside a school.
All four support the same proposal and have repeated it at several council meetings. They have spent weekends collecting evidence. When shop owners raise concerns about deliveries, the residents suggest allowing delivery vehicles at particular times.
Explain the residents’ potential influence with reference to consistency, commitment and flexibility.
[8 marks]
reveal mark scheme and indicative content
Mark scheme
AO2 = 8
7–8 marks: Clear, accurate and detailed application of consistency, commitment and flexibility. The answer is coherent and uses specialist terminology effectively.
5–6 marks: Mostly effective application of all three processes, although some detail or explanation is lacking.
3–4 marks: Some appropriate application, but one or more processes are limited or unclear.
1–2 marks: Very limited application of minority influence.
0 marks:Â No relevant content.
Indicative content
Consistency
All four residents support the same proposal, showing synchronic consistency.
Repeating it at several meetings shows diachronic consistency.
This may encourage councillors to reconsider their existing position.
Commitment
Spending weekends collecting evidence demonstrates personal investment and sacrifice.
This may draw attention to the strength of their beliefs through the augmentation principle.
Flexibility
They listen to shop owners' concerns.
Allowing delivery vehicles at specified times is a concession.
This prevents them appearing rigid and may make their proposal more acceptable.
Example answer
The residents show synchronic consistency because all four support the same proposal, and diachronic consistency because they have repeated it at several council meetings. This united and persistent position may encourage councillors to reconsider their views. They also demonstrate commitment by giving up weekends to collect evidence. This personal sacrifice may increase their influence through the augmentation principle because it shows how strongly they believe in the proposal. Finally, they demonstrate flexibility by responding to the shop owners' concerns and allowing deliveries at certain times. Their willingness to compromise means they are less likely to appear rigid, which may make the council more willing to accept their proposal.
Question 10
Discuss consistency, commitment and flexibility as explanations of how minorities influence majorities.
[16 marks]
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