Introduction
Imagine the following scenarios. You really enjoyed a comedy but find yourself thinking it was even funnier once you talked about it with like-minded friends. You are really aggravated by something another group did to your group and find yourself even angrier once you have a discussion with group members who feel the same way.
Following group discussion, members' attitudes and opinions tend to shift in the direction already favoured by the group, leading the group to agree on a position that is more extreme than the average opinion of its members. This is called group polarization. (Burn, 2004).
Group Polarisation
CrashCourse. (2014, November 11). Social psychology. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGxGDdQnC1Y
Overview
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AlleyDog.com. (2017). Definition of polarisation. Retrieved from https://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Group%20Polarization
When people are placed into a group and these people have to deal with some situation, the group as a whole typically has some overriding attitude toward the situation. Over time and with group discussion, the group's attitude toward that situation may change. When it changes in such a way that the group attitude is enhanced and strengthened, then group polarization has occurred. -
Henderson, R. (2017, May 24). The science behind why we follow the crowd. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/after-service/201705/the-science-behind-why-people-follow-the-crowd
One lesson from social psychology is the influence others have on us. Research shows we do not have as much control over our thoughts and behavior as we think. We take cues from our environment, especially other people, on how to act. Consider the concept of group polarization. This means that a group of likeminded people reinforce one another’s viewpoints. Group polarization strengthens of the opinions of each person in the group.
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World Heritage Encyclopedia. (2017). Group polarisation. Retrieved from http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/eng/Group_polarization
In social psychology, group polarization refers to the tendency for groups to make decisions that are more extreme than the initial inclination of its members. These more extreme decisions are towards greater risk if individuals' initial tendencies are to be risky and towards greater caution if individuals' initial tendencies are to be cautious.[1] The phenomenon also holds that a group's attitude toward a situation may change in the sense that the individuals' initial attitudes have strengthened and intensified after group discussion. -
van Vuyt, M. (2015). The social psychology of radicalization and extremism. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/naturally-selected/201502/the-social-psychology-radicalization-and-extremism
Social psychological research shows that groups of people often take riskier decisions than individual group members. This phenomenon is called group polarization or the "risky shift."2 It lies at the root of radicalization, because it explains how people can develop more extreme views, for example, regarding the use of violence in conflicts.
Studies
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Myers, D. (1978). Group induced polarisation of attitudes and behaviour. Retrieved from http://www.davidmyers.org/davidmyers/assets/GroupInducedPolarAttitudesBehavior.pdf
Myers studies the effects and theories into group discussion and polarisation. He concludes the desire to present oneself favourably motivates people to emit persuasive arguments in the presumed socially desirable direction. The extent to which the social and information aspects of group discussion are interwoven help us understand why the effect of group interaction is likely to have a polarization effect. -
Myers, D. (1970). Discussion effects on racial attitudes. Retrieved from http://www.davidmyers.org/davidmyers/assets/Disc.Eff.Rac.Att.pdf
Myers predicts that discussion would enhance dominant group values leading to increased dominant group values between homogeneously composed groups of high, medium and low prejudice in high school students. The effect of discussion on racial attitudes with others having similar attitudes significantly increased the gap between high and low prejudices groups.
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Hogg, M. A., Turner, J. C., & Davidson, B. (1990). Polarized Norms and Social Frames of Reference: A Test of the Self-Categorization Theory of Group Polarization. Basic & Applied Social Psychology, 11(1), 77-100.
Self-categorization theory (Turner, 1985; Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, & Wetherell, 1987) explains group polarization as conformity to a polarized norm which defines one's own group in contrast to other groups within a specific social context. Whether the ingroup norm is polarized or not depends on the social comparative context within which the ingroup defines itself.
Key Terms Polarisation
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group polarisationA phenomenon wherein the decisions and opinions of people in a group setting become more extreme than their actual, privately held beliefs.
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informational influencepeople assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behaviour for a given situation
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social comparisonwe determine our own social and personal worth based on how we stack up against others.
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risky shiftafter group discussion, group members become more risky.