Group Polarization Revisited: A Processing Effort Account.

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Group Dynamics
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Group polarization, the tendency for group discussion to enhance pre-existing tendencies, is a well-documented phenomenon.
• Social comparison and persuasive argumentation are recognized as key drivers of group polarization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and test a processing effort account of group polarization.
• To investigate how individual ability and motivation moderate the influence of social comparison and persuasive argumentation on group polarization.

Main Methods:

• Three experiments were conducted, manipulating participants' ability (Experiment 1) or motivation (Experiment 2) to process information.
• Information regarding group average positions and argument persuasiveness were systematically varied.
• Experiment 3 examined the role of motivation in naturalistic group discussions.

Main Results:

• Consistent with the processing effort account, lower ability or motivation increased the impact of social comparison on group polarization.
• Higher ability and motivation amplified the effects of persuasive argumentation on group polarization.
• Findings were robust across experimental and real-group discussion settings.

Conclusions:

• The processing effort account offers a novel framework for understanding group polarization.
• Individual differences in ability and motivation are critical moderators of social influence within groups.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for predicting and potentially mitigating extreme group judgments.