Group polarization and risky shift in collaborative work

¶ … Group Polarization" and "What Everybody Knows" I discovered that failure in groups is extremely easy and common. But why is this? One would think that the more minds that are involved the better. Yet this is not always the case. Group work can actually have a more negative impact on a project than independent work can. One of the reasons for this is group polarization.

The idea of group polarization is fascinating and extremely relatable. Anyone who has worked in groups before knows this to be true. For example, one person in a group might share an idea that another in the group will be enthusiastic about, but two more persons might dismiss it out of hand. Suddenly, polarization is happening around this one idea and it can set a negative tone right away for the duration of the project, especially if bitterness and resentment set in on one side. One would like to avoid extremism in a group but in such cases it can be difficult to do and the risk of its happening is high once polarizing elements set in.

One way to prevent this from happening, however, is to move out of your comfort zone. Allow others to have a say and hold an opinion even if it contradicts with your own. This is part of what being in a group is all about: learning to respect the thoughts and ideas of others. This is how positivity can be maintained. On the other hand, risky behavior in a group is dangerous and imperils everyone in the group. If group members begin with some willingness to engage in risky behavior, groups will engage in more of that behavior as a result of group discussion. There is less variation when this occurs. Thus, it is important when in a group to be respectful and courteous but also to be mindful of avoiding risky behavior that could lead a group down the wrong path.

Another issue that comes up in groups is the topic of deliberation. Sometimes individuals can lack the self-confidence needed to express their views within the group. This can happen especially in groups where high-status members are overvalued and low-status members are undervalued. It is important to strike a strategic balance in a group so that all members feel that their input is valuable. This will help deliberation to proceed more effectively and it will help to discourage the idea that someone's thoughts or input are less important than another member's.

How I might apply these concepts is when I am leading my group, I will use education to help strengthen interactions within the group. My aim will be to explain what I have learned about being open and honest with each other and not shooting down someone else just because his or her thoughts differ from our own, because this leads to negativity and polarization. Instead, we should try to find something good in what everyone offers and maximize the value in every member's contribution. Thus, through deliberation we can find the right course of action to take for our group as a whole.