Choice Shifts

Choice shifts, a key factor of diffusion of responsibility, is when our choices or decisions result from group discussion rather than individual ones. Two common but contrasting choice shifts are: risky shift (group makes risky investment of adopts an extreme political stance that the individual would not have made — also called group polarization); or cautious shift (group adopts a more cautious or conservative approach to decision-making compared to individual’s preference). Contributing factors:

• Group dynamics, like cohesion, conformity pressure, group norms. 
• Social influence of group opinions/attitudes on individuals, so they shift their own preferences. 
• Diffusion of responsibility causing individual to feel less personally responsible for decision outcome.