Ayush, a class 12th student, was caught with a bottle of alcohol in the school premises. The Principal asked the student council and discipline committee about their views on what action would be appropriate in case of Ayush. Considering his final year, initially they decide to let him go free, but later after their interaction with the Principal and other staff members, they decided to expel him and use his case to set an example for the rest of the students. This example indicates towards which of the following phenomenon?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Group polarisation
Option (1) Group polarisation — Correct. Groups are more likely to take extreme decisions than individuals alone; after interacting with like-minded people, one’s initial view becomes stronger. The committee leaned towards strictness once it heard the Principal and staff, and the discussion pushed it to the most extreme step, expelling Ayush and making an example of him.
Option (2) Confirmation bias — Incorrect. Confirmation bias is the tendency to notice and accept only the information that supports what one already believes. The committee did not hold on to its first view; it changed and hardened after the group discussion.
Option (3) Groupthink — Incorrect. In groupthink, a group’s concern for unanimity overrides a realistic look at the courses of action, and no one dissents for fear of breaking cohesion. The question stresses how the decision shifted to an extreme after interaction, not a silent show of agreement.
Option (4) Outgroup syndrome — Incorrect. There is no such term. Outgroup refers only to a group other than one’s own, and Ayush’s case is a decision taken inside one committee.
Note: The concept in Option (2), ‘confirmation bias’, is not in NCERT (2025-26); explained here for the benefit of the students.
NCERT (2025-26): “Group Polarisation … Groups show another tendency referred to as ‘group polarisation’. It has been found that groups are more likely to take extreme decisions than individuals alone.…” “…After this interaction, your views may become stronger. This firm conviction is because of the following three reasons:
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