AAMC FL Practice Exam

What is group polarization?

1. A shift towards more extreme attitudes after social interaction

2. Increased interaction leading to collective apathy

3. A decrease in group cohesion

4. Alignment of group opinions towards moderation

The correct answer is: A shift towards more extreme attitudes after social interaction

Group polarization refers to the phenomenon where individuals in a group setting tend to make decisions or form opinions that are more extreme than their initial individual attitudes after discussing an issue. When members share their ideas and perspectives, the process of social interaction can amplify their original positions. This means that if individuals have a certain viewpoint, after discussing it with like-minded others, they may adopt an even stronger version of that viewpoint. The correct answer highlights this shift towards more extreme attitudes, clearly reflecting the essence of group polarization. The interaction within the group serves to reinforce existing beliefs, thus pushing members further towards those beliefs and often leading to increasingly radical group consensus. In contrast, the other options do not accurately capture the dynamics of group polarization. Increased interaction leading to collective apathy is more about disengagement rather than the intensification of opinions. A decrease in group cohesion suggests fragmentation rather than the convergence of opinions, while the alignment of group opinions towards moderation contradicts the core idea of polarization, which is about intensifying views rather than moderating them.