Which mechanism contributed to increased group cohesion in the activity?

• A. Random selection without disclosure reduces motivation
• B. Random selection with a shared reward increases peer influence and cohesion
• C. It causes chaos without effect
• D. It relies solely on individual effort

Answer: (B)

Group cohesion grows when people feel their success depends on each other and they share a common goal. Randomly selecting members to work together while providing a shared reward creates real interdependence: everyone knows the group’s outcome affects their own payoff, and the reward reinforces cooperation. That shared fate encourages peers to influence and support one another, building trust, norms of collaboration, and a sense of belonging. In contrast, approaches that rely on individual rewards or that don’t bind outcomes to group performance tend to weaken these ties and reduce collective cohesion. So, this mechanism best explains why cohesion increased.