Understanding Group Polarization

Understanding Group Polarization

Misery and Company

Understanding Group Polarization

Excerpts:

Misery and Company
Cass R. Sunstein, The New Republic Published:
Wednesday, October 22, 2008

A few years ago, Daniel Kahneman, David Schkade, and I were involved in several studies of punitive damage awards by juries. We began by asking one thousand or so demographically diverse people to register their judgments about misconduct by various wrongdoers. We asked them to rate their moral outrage on a scale of zero to six, where zero meant "not at all outrageous" and six meant "exceptionally outrageous." We also asked them to come up with an appropriate dollar award.

We may draw two conclusions from these studies. First, judgments about appropriate punishment, and the right response to bad acts, are rooted in moral outrage. Second, social interactions greatly increase outrage and people's desire to punish in response to it. If like-minded people share a degree of outrage and get together with one another, they are likely to move in extreme directions.

When people shift from feeling moral outrage to committing outrageous acts, are group dynamics the key factor? A resoundingly affirmative answer is the central theme of Marc Sageman's fascinating effort to understand the emerging nature of Islamic terrorism.

Sageman is a forensic and clinical psychiatrist who has been studying terrorism for a number of years.
…While Sageman does not refer to it, some of the most intriguing work in modern social science explores the very phenomenon that he is describing, where it is known as "group polarization." Sageman is actually offering a particular illustration of that much broader phenomenon. The central empirical finding is that after deliberating with one another, group members typically end up in a more extreme position in line with their pre-deliberation tendencies. Group polarization is essentially a form of radicalization. It is found in jury deliberations about appropriate punishment; it can be found in many other areas as well.

Group polarization has been demonstrated in over a dozen nations and in numerous areas; those found to be subject to polarization include jurors, ordinary citizens, burglars, and entrepreneurs. Enclaves of like-minded people move to the extremes. The liberal citizens of Boulder have been found to move sharply to the left after speaking with one another; the conservative citizens of Colorado Springs have been found to move sharply to the right. Even federal judges tend to polarize. On three-judge panels consisting solely of Republican appointees, Republican appointees show far more conservative voting patterns than on three-judge panels having at least one Democratic appointee. Democratic appointees show exactly the same tendency; they are far more liberal on panels consisting of all Democratic appointees than on panels with one or more Republican.

Why does group polarization occur? There are two major answers, and they bear directly on Sageman's findings. First, the exchange of views and information can intensify pre-existing beliefs. In any group with some predisposition (in favor of the Republican candidate, concern about climate change, opposition to same-sex marriage), the pool of arguments will inevitably be skewed toward the original predisposition. If group members are listening to one another's arguments, they are likely to become more extreme in their views. The second reason involves people's concern for their reputations. Most people want to be perceived favorably by other group members, and also to perceive themselves favorably. Once they hear what others believe, many of them will adjust their positions at least slightly in the direction of the dominant position. Without invoking the concept, Sageman has provided a dramatic case study in group polarization, and both of the standard explanations play key roles in the process of radicalization that he describes.

…his elaboration of what is in effect a case study in group polarization offers a number of provocative lessons for understanding not only Islamic terrorism, but also other domains in which extremism is the eventual result of voluntary self-sorting--with destructive and even deadly consequences.

Cass Sunstein is a contributing editor to The New Republic.

Read full article: http://www.tnr.com/booksarts/story.html?id=cdbb66cd-da49-4ee1-abb2-41464a553c0a&p=1

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This posting was made my Jim Jacobs, President & CEO of Jacobs Executive Advisors. Jim also serves as Leader of Jacobs Advisors' Insurance Practice.