cautious shift

a choice shift in which an individual making a decision as part of a group adopts a more cautious approach than the same individual would have adopted had he or she made the decision alone. Studies suggest that such shifts are (a) rarer than the opposite risky shift and (b) most likely to occur when the majority of the members of the group, prior to discussion, favor a cautious rather than a risky choice. See also group polarization.

Browse dictionary by letter

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Psychology term of the day

March 14th 2025

delinquency

n. behavior violating social rules or conventions. The term is often used to denote the misbehavior of children or adolescents. See juvenile delinquency. —delinquent adj., n.