Reflections on Gabriel Mugny's Contributions to Attitude-Centric Theory and Research on Minority Influence. Issue 1 (21st July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Alvaro, Eusebio M.; Crano, William D.
• Is Part Of: International review of social psychology. Volume 30:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 161
• Page End: 171
• Publication Date: 2017-07-21
• Subjects: Minority influence -- Indirect influence -- In-group minority -- Out-group minority; Social psychology -- Periodicals; 302.05
• DOI: 10.5334/irsp.25
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2397-8570

Abstract

Pérez and Mugny (1987 ) extended the scope of minority influence research in a classic study that explicitly drew a distinction between in-group and out-group minority influence sources and their effects on majority acceptance. Their study also refocused the field from a social influence, perception-oriented view to a more dynamic persuasion, attitude-centric orientation. This paper reflects upon the generative nature of the original research, and that which followed, with a reflection on its impact on our own theorizing and research. The current work is focused on factors that affect the fundamental processes of minority influence, as viewed from the perspective of the leniency contract. Important factors considered in the model include (a) the in-group or out-group nature of the influence source, (b) the subjective or objective features of the judgment task, (c) the role of conflict with, and accommodation to the minority, (d) the genesis and potential outcome of indirect change effects on focal attitudes in response to persuasive minority communications and (e) the importance and utility of considering the structural interconnections among attitudes, and their implications for focal attitude change. Research by Mugny and his colleagues stimulated these and other important features of contemporary scholarship on minority influence. Progress and understanding of the intriguing minority-induced change process, a clear departure from the classic majority-based persuasion model, owes a great debt to Gabriel Mugny and his team of talented collaborators.