Groupshift

What is Groupshift?

Groupshift, also written “group shift,” is a change from members' initial preferences to their judgments or decisions after group discussion. A shift can favor greater risk or greater caution. Group polarization is the related pattern in which the group's initial tendency becomes more extreme.

Example: Risky Shift and Cautious Shift

Imagine a team that initially favors a fairly cautious project plan. After discussion, it chooses an even more cautious version. That is a cautious shift. A team that moves toward taking more risk shows a risky shift. Neither direction, by itself, tells us whether the decision improved.

Why a Group Can Shift

Isenberg’s 1986 review and meta-analysis examined two explanations: social comparison and persuasive arguments. People can adjust their views in relation to the group's views, and they can encounter arguments that change their judgment. The synthesis of 33 independent effects supported both processes, with larger effects for persuasive argumentation.

Implications for Group Decisions

To understand a shift, compare members' views before and after discussion and examine the arguments made during the discussion. A final consensus does not tell you how the group got there.

Groupshift is not identical to groupthink. Groupshift describes a change in views after discussion; groupthink concerns pressure for agreement that weakens critical evaluation. Discussion does not inevitably increase extremity. Whether the shift helps or harms depends on the decision and the evidence behind it.

Deindividuation concerns reduced personal self-awareness or accountability in a group.