Risky-shift Phenomenon and Group Polarization Essay

The aim of the present essay is to examine the strengths and the weaknesses of the â€Å"Informational Influence† theory and the â€Å"Cultural Value† theory, which are the two major theoretical accounts that attempted to explain the phenomenon of the risky-shift in group processes. At first, the introductory paragraph is concerned with the discovery of the phenomenon followed by a brief description of the two theories. Secondly, empirical evidence in support of the two theories is provided along with a critical analysis. In addition, a short paragraph of this essay is concerned with the evaluation of the methodology which was applied since the 1960s for the study of the risky-shift phenomena. In Social Psychology, the extensive body of research†¦show more content†¦On the basis of Stoner’s (1961) findings, subsequent research was conducted by Brown (1965), who advanced the â€Å"Cultural Value† theory, also known as the â€Å"risk-as-value† hypothesis, which consists of two assumptions. The first assumption is that discussion among group members concerning decisions of ambiguous consequences causes an increase in the importance of the risk value; thus, risk is considered by group members as a strong cultural value. The second assumption of this theory is that there exist differences in risk-taking behaviours reported from studies of groups drawn from Eastern and Western cultures. At first, evidence for the risky-shift phenomena among groups from the same cultural background is provided followed by cross-cultural studies examining differences in risk preferences among groups from different cultural background. Similarly to the underlying mechanisms characterizing social comparison processes, the risky-shift phenomenon occurs when an individual in a group shares private thoughts concerning a specific issue. Therefore, disclosure of other group members’ opinions causes the individual to change private judgements and to move toward risky directions by accepting the decision taken by the majority of the group (Brown, 1965). Brown’s (1965) first assumption has received considerable empirical evidence from several researchers and theorists. In fact, Crowne and Marlowe (1960) reported that individuals in a group areShow MoreRelatedRisky Shift1810 Words   |  8 Pagespsychological literature on this particular topic was written in the 1960’s/1970’s when the term Risky Shift was most popular. With more current research, the term Risky Shift has been replaced with the term Group Polarisation. (Deegs 2009:1) The term Risky Shift was first coined in in the early 1960’s and was used to describe the tendency for groups to take more risks than the same individuals within these groups would have taken had they been faced with the same problem alone. 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