Opinion Formation in Groups and Group Dynamics

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture on opinion formation in groups, including group norms, influences on conformity, and the implications of group decisions.

Group Norms

Accepted ways of thinking, feeling, and acting within a group.

Descriptive Social Norms

What the group typically does.

Injunctive Social Norms

What the group believes should be done.

Informational Influence

When individuals conform because they believe others are correct, indicating motivation to be accurate.

Normative Influence

Conformity based on the desire to be accepted by the group, often involving public compliance without private acceptance.

Private Conformity

When individuals change their beliefs to align with the group, even in the group's absence.

Public Conformity

Behaving according to group norms while privately disagreeing.

Consensus in Groups

An agreement among group members that can lead to valid conclusions but may be achieved without careful consideration.

False Consensus Effect

The tendency to overestimate the extent to which others agree with us.

Groupthink

A phenomenon where group members suppress dissent and prioritize consensus, compromising on critical thinking.

Deindividuation

Loss of self-awareness in groups, often leading to reduced accountability and disinhibition.

Risky Shift

The phenomenon where group discussion leads to more extreme risk-taking decisions.

Group Polarization

The tendency for group discussion to enhance the group's prevailing opinions, leading to more extreme positions.

Superficial Processing

Relying on heuristics or norms to make decisions rather than engaging in deep thought.

Systematic Processing

A more thoughtful consideration of information and arguments during decision-making.

Cures for Faulty Group Decisions

Strategies such as encouraging dissent, ensuring diverse opinions, and reducing conformity pressures.

The Crowd - A Study of the Popular Mind

A work by Gustave Le Bon discussing group psychology and behavior.

Kurt Lewin

A psychologist known for his work on group dynamics, emphasizing that 'the whole is greater than the sum of its parts'.