Individual and Group Shifts to Extreme: Laboratory Experiment on Crowd Polarization

Abstract

Hypotheses that crowds shift to more militant action as a result of both individual shifts and changes in composition are tested through small groups experimentation. Subjects are asked to choose the most militant action they would take in hypothetical crowd situations and then reach group consensus. After tentative consensus, participants are instructed to leave the group if they do not agree; other subjects who were observers are permitted to join the group to continue discussion. The hypotheses that final consensus would be more militant than the first, which would be more militant than individual choices were supported.