Attitude polarization,familiarization and group process

Our purpose was to gain insight into the processes linking interaction and attitude polarization. We wished to determine whether polarization might occur in an individual situation, during the task of familiarization with the object. Two experiments were undertaken, one relating to an individual situation and the other involving a group situation. No polarization took place in the individual situation. In addition as a result of the coercive normative pressure induced in the course of the group discussion, we were able to observe unwilling agreement by individuals, provoking in turn a noticeable regression during the post-consensus.