Nemeth (1986)

Aim: To investigate whether flexibility is an important characteristic of successful minority influence.

Method: Participants were placed in groups of four and asked to agree on the amount of compensation they would award to a victim of a ski-lift accident. In each group, one of the participants was a confederate. There were two conditions:

1. In the inflexible condition, the confederate argued for a low rate of compensation and refused to change this position.

2. In the flexible condition, the confederate also argued for a low rate of compensation but was willing to compromise by suggesting a slightly higher amount.

Results: Nemeth found that:

• in the inflexible condition, the minority had little or no effect on the majority's decision

• in the flexible condition, the majority was more likely to change its viewpoint and reach a consensus

Conclusion: Nemeth concluded that flexibility is an important characteristic of successful minority influence. The findings suggest that being willing to compromise may be more effective than remaining completely consistent, and that a balance between consistency and flexibility is likely to be the most effective approach.