Minority Influence

Minority influence is the process by which a numerically smaller group within a larger group changes the attitudes or behavior of the majority, in contrast to the majority influence studied in conformity research. Serge Moscovici's research found that a minority's persuasive power depends heavily on the consistency of its position: a minority that argues the same position steadily and confidently over time is far more likely to shift majority opinion than one that wavers. Unlike normative conformity to a majority, minority influence is thought to work mainly through informational, private reconsideration of the issue, so its effects often appear gradually and are not always openly acknowledged by those who were persuaded.