PSYB10H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 12: Deindividuation, Group Decision-Making, Group Polarization
Document Summary
Even the most minimal group situation the mere presence of a single other person can in uence performance. The presence of others is arousing, and arousal accentuates a per- son"s existing performance tendencies. Groupthink can lead to defective decision making as people in highly cohesive groups censor their reservations, reject alternative viewpoints, and succumb to ingroup pressures. To avoid this problem, the group should encourage the airing of all viewpoints, leaders should refrain from stating their opinions at the outset, and someone should be designated to play devil"s advocate. Social psychologists have examined the relationship between self-consciousness and behav- ior from two directions. Research on deindividuation has shown that the diminished sense of self- awareness that sometimes occurs when we are immersed in large groups makes us get caught up in ongoing events and encourages impulsive, and sometimes destructive, actions.
