Members of the school board were tentatively considering a proposal to institute the wearing of uniforms in the elementary and middle school grades. After their last meeting, they are now strongly in favor of the proposal. This illustrates the phenomenon known as __________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Group polarization occurs when a group's decision becomes more extreme after group discussion. In this case, the initial tentative consideration of uniform wearing became a strong endorsement after discussion among the school board members, indicating the presence of group polarization. Groupthink is when group members prioritize consensus and harmony over critical thinking and individual opinions, deindividuation is the loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in group situations, and social facilitation is the tendency for people to perform better on simple or well-known tasks in the presence of others. None of these fully explain the phenomenon illustrated in the scenario.

Members of the School Board Were Tentatively Considering a Proposal