Group Decision-Making and Group Dynamics (7B) - MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations

Shared goals requiring cooperation reduce hostility between groups. Common goals requiring interdependence unite opposing groups.

Shift toward more extreme attitudes after group discussion. Discussion amplifies initial leanings through repeated exposure and arguments.

Reduced individual effort when contributions are not identifiable. People exert less effort when their individual output can't be evaluated.

Intergroup contact reduces prejudice under appropriate conditions. Equal status contact with common goals reduces bias.

Improves simple tasks and impairs complex or novel tasks. Arousal from others enhances dominant responses.

Groupthink. Consensus pressure suppresses critical thinking.

Social loafing. Individual effort decreases when pooled with others.

Consensus-seeking that suppresses dissent and critical evaluation. Prioritizes harmony over realistic appraisal of alternatives.

Individual productivity decreases as group size increases. Coordination losses and motivation deficits compound with size.

Groups over-discuss shared info and under-discuss unique info. Members focus on validating shared knowledge rather than pooling unique info.

Consensus-seeking that suppresses dissent and impairs decision quality. Desire for harmony overrides critical thinking and realistic evaluation.

Shift toward a more extreme group position after discussion. Discussion amplifies initial tendencies through repeated exposure to similar views.

Performance changes due to concern about being judged by others. Fear of negative evaluation affects task performance in social settings.

Increased arousal strengthens dominant responses. Presence of others creates arousal that amplifies habitual responses.

Others’ presence improves easy tasks and impairs difficult tasks. Arousal from others enhances well-learned responses, hinders new ones.

Loss of self-awareness and restraint due to anonymity in a group. Group anonymity reduces self-monitoring and increases impulsive behavior.

Reduced sense of personal accountability when others are present. Shared responsibility dilutes individual obligation to act.

Best option is missed because unshared info is not pooled effectively. Critical information remains unshared, leading to suboptimal decisions.

Conforming because others are viewed as a source of correct information. People look to others' behavior to determine reality in ambiguous situations.

Conforming to gain approval or avoid disapproval. Social pressure motivates compliance to maintain group acceptance.

Privately rejecting a norm while assuming others accept it. Everyone misperceives group consensus due to public conformity.

Groupthink. Prioritizing consensus over critical analysis exemplifies this phenomenon.

Social loafing. Reduced effort when individual contributions can't be identified.

Bystander effect. Diffusion of responsibility prevents individual helping behavior.

Group polarization. Initial positions intensify through discussion and mutual reinforcement.

Reduced individual effort when contributions are pooled in a group. Individual contributions become unidentifiable, reducing motivation.

Group decision shifts from the pre-discussion average of members. Group dynamics move decisions away from individual starting positions.

Groups choose riskier options than the average member would alone. Shared responsibility reduces individual caution in decision-making.

Presence of others improves dominant responses (easy tasks). Arousal enhances well-learned behaviors but impairs complex tasks.