Psychology/Sociology: Minority Influence – An Applied Example Of The Few Converting The Many With Dr Ian Norman From University of East Anglia

Register here

In this online event for schools and colleges, Dr Ian Norman, Lecturer in Psychology in the School of Psychology at University of East Anglia, will deliver an interactive talk on Social Influence entitled ‘Minority Influence – An Applied Example of the Few Converting the Many’.

Social norms are prevalent throughout society and govern many human behaviours. Those who don’t follow these norms can face social sanctions. Yet, we regularly see social change; the assisted dying bill being debated in the UK house of commons in May 2025 is one example. Death, is something that impacts the majority – so policy changes in this area move with the majority view. But how do minority groups invoke change in society, when that change is not impactful to most people?

Given the prejudice that minority groups often face, it is unlikely that the majority are simply disinterested. This talk will consider the mechanisms of minority influence and how they create changes to social norms, using the real-world example of homosexuality, which went from being a criminal act in the UK in the 1960s, to the legalisation of gay marriage in the 2010s.

Lecturer Profile: Dr Ian Norman

Our events are designed so that a group of students can take part from a classroom or students and teachers can take part as individuals, either from school or from home. There is no charge to take part.

As a live, participative event, this session will not be recorded but slides and other resources will be shared after the event, where available.

Suitable for: Aged 16+ pre-university students studying, or with a possible interest in studying, Psychology, Sociology and related disciplines. Student groups, and individual students and teachers are very welcome to join us.

Preparation/Pre-Reading: Students may wish to consider the topic and discuss some of the key elements in advance. Students can also think about questions they have about studying at university level.

The IT Setup: The event will be run on Zoom and participants will be able to join using laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. If you are joining as a school group, we recommend connecting with one device and projecting on to a whiteboard. You will be able to interact with the university via typed comments and questions or via a microphone if preferred. Full details will be sent to those who have registered (see below) prior to the event.

Booking a Place: This is free for schools and colleges. If you would like to take part in this event, please register your interest using the link to the registration form below:

Register here