Psychology and social change

Tutors, examiners, researchers and textbook writers all tell us how important it is to be active in our learning. Here, Mike Cardwell gives some useful activities that will consolidate and enhance your understanding of the article you have just read.

Emily Davison’s protest was captured on early film

The article demonstrated how the findings of social influence research can have echoes in the history of social change. In order to understand this connection a little better, explore major examples of social change and tease out the aspects of social influence that may have contributed to the social change you have read about. Let’s look at some now.

Mohandas Gandhi’s mass dissent against the British salt tax was the catalyst for widespread social reform in India in the 1930s, culminating in Britain granting independence to India in 1947. The aim of Gandhi and his followers, the satyagrahi, was to bring about social change (in this case the abolition of the salt tax) through non-violent protest. You can read more about Gandhi and the Salt March at www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/system/topicRoot/Gandhi_s_Salt_March/