Josephine is sitting on a jury whose task it is to decide whether or not to give the defendant a life sentence in prison.Most of the members of the jury feel the defendant can be rehabilitated and feel a twenty-year sentence would be appropriate.However,after listening to some of the members express their opinions about how detrimental prison life can be,the jury finally recommends a sentence of only ten years.In this case,which psychological principle may have shaped the opinion?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Group polarization refers to the tendency for group members to become more extreme in their positions/decisions after discussing it within a group. In this case, it led to the jury members becoming more extreme (i.e. reducing the sentence to only ten years) than their initial individual opinions.

Josephine Is Sitting on a Jury Whose Task It Is