Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow:-
Just as individuals compare themselves with others in terms of similarities and differences with respect to what they have and what others have, individuals also compare the group they belong to with groups of which they are not a member. It has been found that groups are more likely to take extreme decisions than individuals alone. Suppose there is an employee who has been caught taking a bribe or engaging in some other unethical act. His/her colleagues are asked to decide what punishment he/she should be given. They may let him/her go scot-free or decide to terminate his/her services instead of imposing a punishment which may commensurate with the unethical act he/she had engaged in. Whatever the initial position in the group, this position becomes much stronger as a result of discussions and interaction in the group.
Identify the correct statements in reference to the influence of group on individual behavior:
(A) Individuals are more likely to take extreme decisions than the group.
(B) When you find others favouring your opinion, you feel that your view is being validated by the public
(C) When you find people having similar views, you are likely to perceive them as in-group and as a consequence your views get strengthened.
(D) Groups are more likely to take extreme decisions than individuals alone.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → (B), (C) and (D) only
(A) Individuals are more likely to take extreme decisions than the group. Incorrect. It has been found that it is the other way round: groups are more likely to take extreme decisions than individuals alone. The statement swaps the two.
(B) When you find others favouring your opinion, you feel that your view is being validated by the public Correct. This is the bandwagon effect, one of the three reasons why the group’s position grows stronger. The support of others makes the view look right, so it becomes firmer.
(C) When you find people having similar views, you are likely to perceive them as in-group and as a consequence your views get strengthened. Correct. Like-minded people are seen as the ingroup; you start identifying with the group and showing conformity, and your views become stronger. This is another reason for polarisation.
(D) Groups are more likely to take extreme decisions than individuals alone. Correct. This is group polarisation: whatever the initial position in a group, it becomes much stronger as a result of discussion and interaction, as in the passage’s decision on the employee caught taking a bribe.
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. Suppose there is an employee who has been caught taking bribe or engaging in some other unethical act. Her/his colleagues are asked to decide on what punishment s/ he should be given. They may let her/ him go scot-free or decide to terminate her/his services instead of imposing a punishment which may be commensurate with the unethical act s/ he had engaged in. Whatever the initial position in the group, this position becomes much stronger as a result of discussions in the group. This strengthening of the group’s initial position as a result of group interaction and discussion is referred to as group polarisation.…” “…This firm conviction is because of the following three reasons:
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