Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book aims to spur and revive the discussion concerning societal meanings that determine and regulate majority and minority influence. It examines the birth and dissemination of S. Moscovici's genetic model of influence as a case of a minority attempt at influence in the epistemological area. The book introduces the context/comparison model (CCM) for social influence phenomena and in an analytical way presents the different processes responsible for majority and minority influence. It focuses on the minority influence and attempt to merge two theories which in the bibliography up till now offer opposing interpretations of social influence phenomena, the theory of self-categorization. The book stresses the cognitive processes involved in majority and minority influence, and examines the matter of changing attitudes and their features after majority and minority influence.