Group Psychology

=Group Radicalization=

There is a model of group radicalization in like-minded groups that its called extremity shift or group polarization. It describes how groups of strangers brought together to discuss any random topic at hand generally show two tendencies during the course of discussion
 * 1) Increased agreement about the issue at hand
 * 2) A shift in the average opinion of the group members, this shift goes in the direction of the opinion most group members favored at the start of the discussion

There are two theories that aim to explain the extremity shift. According to the relevant arguments theory there is a culturally determined pool of arguments that favors one side of the argument. Individuals fashion their own opinion by drawing arguments from the pool, upon hearing again more arguments from the same pool favoring that side of the argument the individual is convinced by the imbalance of arguments it perceives also in the discussion. In short, the discussion is just a representation of a culturally formed pool of arguments that is inclined to favor one side of the argument and will through the sheer presence of the mayjority of arguments to one side persuade individuals to share that opinion (or reinforce them in their opinions). The social comparison theory postulates that all opinions have social values attached to them and individuals feel pressure to adjust their opinion to the mean opinion of the group. Individuals with a more extreme opinion in the direction of the most favored opinion in the group tend to be admired, influence the mean opinion more and change their own opinion less. Individuals with opinions further away from the mean tend to influence group opinion less and change their own opinions more.

=Group Dynamics Theory=

This theory distinguishes between two sources of attraction of a group to individuals.
 * 1) The value of material group goals (rewards of group membership such as status and security)
 * 2) The value of social reality created by the group

=References=