MINORITY INFLUENCE - THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL-STATUS OF AN INCLUSIVE VERSUS EXCLUSIVE GROUP

An experiment investigated the effects of source status (high versus l ow) and source's attitude towards the target (inclusive versus exclusi ve) on minority influence. It was predicted that an inclusive minority in the high-status source condition would primarily have a direct imp act (compliance), while in the low-status source condition it would ha ve little direct or indirect influence but would stimulate autonomous cognitive work (divergence). Moreover, exclusive minorities, irrespect ive of status, would have a mainly indirect impact (conversion). Resul ts appear to confirm the hypotheses with two significant qualification s: first, minority status interacts with subjects' initial attitude, f urthering or hindering indirect influence; second, an exclusive minori ty encourages the production of externally-generated thoughts, albeit only in low-status source condition. The study also provided some info rmation on the relationship between indirect influence and divergence, and between the quantity and the quality of cognitive production.