What is group polarization?

Group Polarization is a phenomenon that usually accompanies us in many group processes throughout our lives, although we are not fully aware of it..

Why is it that when we end a discussion with people who have an opinion ideologically close to ours, do we usually get a more extreme attitude as a result??

Contents

• Group discourse and its influence on our ideas
• The weight of group influence
  • 1) Informational Influence
  • 2) Regulatory Influence
• Groupthink
• Coping with groupthink

Group discourse and its influence on our ideas

Let's imagine that we go to a discussion group in which we know, in advance, that the issue of animal abuse is going to be discussed. We choose to participate voluntarily in it, since we feel identified with the values ​​that are going to be exposed in that space. We have never mobilized for it and we feel that this may be a good time and a great opportunity.

Upon arriving at the meeting we observed a bustle at the door of the premises, a fact that instantly reinforces our initial position on the subject, and can even make us feel proud to be a defender of animal rights and to be involved with the cause. As this happens, we feel that we are already active members and an integral part of the group. Unconsciously we will identify and look for aspects in common with each of the people around us. All this process, simple and almost automatic, enhances the validation of our beliefs and allows us to enter the meeting space predisposed to participate in the discussion with great conviction of our ideals. Best of all, we haven't even sat down to argue.

Once inside, everything happens as expected. People express different opinions related to the subject. If we analyze the interventions of the participants, we can see that there are many common arguments and ideas in each of the presentations.

At the end of the meeting, we left happy to have participated and with the feeling of being dedicated to the cause. We feel so committed that we are looking forward to opening a Facebook page on the protection of animal rights. We also intend to set up a non-profit association with ten more people, who we have known for less than three hours and if we force a little, we even propose to open a t-shirt stand with phrases that raise awareness on the subject, and allocate the fundraising, to finance local entities dedicated to this matter.

We leave home with some ideas and come back with the same but much more extreme and intense. Both our speech and our actions have been radicalized even though we are not aware of it. What happened?

Is it a question of arguments? Or perhaps, is it the individual who suffers social pressure for wanting to be part of the group?.

The weight of group influence

There are, classically, two possible explanatory ways of this phenomenon:

1) Informational Influence

When we discuss in a group, many ideas come to light. Those that are mentioned more times, logically, are those that the whole group has in common, which generates a significant reinforcement of them. Only on rare occasions will ideas contrary to group opinion appear. When this happens, any member will present a counterargument to the possible threat posed. This counterargument, in addition, will be applauded by their colleagues and will serve as an example to use in future similar occasions..

In short: we learn more ideas favorable to the subject that unites us and good arguments to defend ourselves against any criticism.

2) Regulatory Influence

This process consists of the person adopting the response of the majority of the group to adjust to it, with the aim of gaining approval or avoiding rejection of it. As a consequence of this phenomenon, there is a conformity with the norms and expectations approved by the social context. The underlying reason is the need to be accepted by the group.

Groupthink

The power of group influence does not end here. There is a concept known as groupthink, which, according to Janis, the author who proposes and defines this term, consists of "a way of thinking that people adopt when they are deeply involved in a cohesive group, when the efforts of the members to they unanimously ignore their motivation to realistically assess alternative courses of action ".

Janis refers to the fact that if there is a very cohesive group, the desire of the members to stay together, in space and time, can cloud reality and lead us to make risky or faulty decisions.

We list the symptoms indicated by the author as identifying this phenomenon:

1. Illusion of invulnerability: believing that nothing bad will happen if you stick together.
2. Unquestionable credibility in the inherent morality of the group.
3. Collective rationalization of group decisions: we spend more time justifying what we defend than looking for information that questions it.
4. Shared outgroup stereotype: homogeneous view of the opponent.
5. Self-censorship: criticism and possible disagreements are avoided to preserve harmony.
6. Illusion of unanimity: the agreement between the members is perceived in a total and uniform way.
7. Direct pressure on those opposed to conform.
8. Members protecting the group from negative information.

Coping with groupthink

Finally, we discuss some of the alternatives that we have to deal with groupthink in an efficient way:

• Openly encourage criticism from group members.
• Subdivide the group occasionally to gain objectivity and rebuild it later.
• Reinforce and encourage the proposal of alternative ideas.
• Promote criticism and advice from outside experts.
• Foster an impartial and ideologically independent attitude from other members.