12 Angry Men as a Case Study
Minority Matters: 12 Angry Men as a Case Study of a Successful Negotiation against the Odds
Eirini Flouri and Yiannis Fitsakis
In his famous book, Social Influence and Social Change, celebrated social psychologist Serge Moscovici contended that minorities influence change by creating conflict. Because people wish to avoid conflict, they will often dismiss the minority position. But when the minority refuses to be dismissed by remaining committed to its position and maintaining a well-defined and coherent point of view, then the minority can make the majority reconsider its beliefs and consider the minority’s position as a viable alternative. Moscovici identified five key aspects of the minority’s influential behavior: consistency, investment, autonomy, rigidity, and fairness. In this article we analyze the negotiation process depicted in the 1957 film 12 Angry Men. This critically acclaimed film powerfully illustrates the dynamics of bargaining and the use of informal authority with a focus on the role of personality. The film illustrates how, by adopting the five behavioral strategies described by Moscovici, the minority — in this case a lone dissenting juror — is able to successfully negotiate and, against the odds, influence the overwhelming majority comprising the other eleven jurors.
Key words: negotiation, minority viewpoints, persuasion, juries, film.
Eirini Flouri is senior lecturer in psychology at the School of Psychology and Human Development, Institute of Education, University of London. Her e-mail address is e.flouri@ioe.ac.uk. Yiannis Fitsakis is senior risk manager for the Kashagan Oil and Gas Project at AGIP KCO. His e-mail address is y.fitsakis@gmail.com.
10.1111/j.1571-9979.2007.00156.x © 2007 President and Fellows of Harvard College
Negotiation Journal
October 2007 449
Minority Viewpoints and Social Change
In the late 1960s, French psychologist Serge Moscovici challenged the dominant functionalist approach to social influence, promoted
Eirini Flouri and Yiannis Fitsakis
In his famous book, Social Influence and Social Change, celebrated social psychologist Serge Moscovici contended that minorities influence change by creating conflict. Because people wish to avoid conflict, they will often dismiss the minority position. But when the minority refuses to be dismissed by remaining committed to its position and maintaining a well-defined and coherent point of view, then the minority can make the majority reconsider its beliefs and consider the minority’s position as a viable alternative. Moscovici identified five key aspects of the minority’s influential behavior: consistency, investment, autonomy, rigidity, and fairness. In this article we analyze the negotiation process depicted in the 1957 film 12 Angry Men. This critically acclaimed film powerfully illustrates the dynamics of bargaining and the use of informal authority with a focus on the role of personality. The film illustrates how, by adopting the five behavioral strategies described by Moscovici, the minority — in this case a lone dissenting juror — is able to successfully negotiate and, against the odds, influence the overwhelming majority comprising the other eleven jurors.
Key words: negotiation, minority viewpoints, persuasion, juries, film.
Eirini Flouri is senior lecturer in psychology at the School of Psychology and Human Development, Institute of Education, University of London. Her e-mail address is e.flouri@ioe.ac.uk. Yiannis Fitsakis is senior risk manager for the Kashagan Oil and Gas Project at AGIP KCO. His e-mail address is y.fitsakis@gmail.com.
10.1111/j.1571-9979.2007.00156.x © 2007 President and Fellows of Harvard College
Negotiation Journal
October 2007 449
Minority Viewpoints and Social Change
In the late 1960s, French psychologist Serge Moscovici challenged the dominant functionalist approach to social influence, promoted
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