Which phenomenon describes views becoming more extreme after group discussion among like-minded individuals?

• A. Group Polarization
• B. Primacy Effect
• C. Depth of Processing
• D. Operant Conditioning

Answer: (A)

Group polarization is the tendency for a group of like-minded individuals to shift toward a more extreme position after discussing the issue together. When members share similar views, they hear arguments that bolster their side and feel social pressure to show stronger commitment. The exchange of persuasive arguments and the desire to fit in with the group push attitudes further in the same direction, making everyone more convinced and more extreme than they were before the discussion. This combines informational influence (learning from others’ arguments) with normative influence (conforming to the group norm), which together amplify the initial stance. This concept differs from memory effects like the primacy effect, processing-depth ideas about how we encode information, and operant conditioning, which are not about how group discussion reshapes attitudes among like-minded people.