Ashley and her friends tended to be somewhat against stem cell research. After discussing the issue, their group opinion was more strongly against stem cell research. Such a shift in the attitudes of a group BEST illustrates _____.

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Group polarization refers to the tendency for people’s attitudes to become more extreme after discussing an issue with like-minded others. In this case, Ashley and her friends were already somewhat against stem cell research, but after discussing it as a group, they became even more strongly opposed to it. This shift in their attitudes is an example of group polarization. Groupthink is a different phenomenon, where a group’s emphasis on group harmony can lead to the suppression of dissenting views and faulty decision-making. Social facilitation refers to the tendency for people to perform better on simple tasks in the presence of others. Deindividuation refers to the loss of self-awareness and individuality that can occur when people are in groups, which can lead to impulsive and deviant behavior.

Ashley and Her Friends Tended to Be Somewhat Against Stem