Final answer:
Individuals contribute to group cohesion and in doing so recognize their own significance within the group, facilitating personal identity development and improved self-regulation. This understanding enables them to balance group conformity with individual freedom, thereby reducing the chances of groupthink.
Step-by-step explanation:
When group members recognize that they contribute to and are not merely passive recipients of group cohesion, they begin to see themselves as active participants in a social system, which can be an eye-opening realization. This acknowledgment helps individuals in developing their sense of identity, which is critical for personal growth. They learn that their actions can create a sense of belonging and also help overcome collective action problems by offering different kinds of incentives, as noted by political scientist Robert Salisbury.
With this realization, there is often an opportunity for improved self-regulation and a change in perception regarding the systems they navigate. This empowerment can lead to a more individualistic approach and a departure from groupthink, where members suppress their own opinions to conform to what they believe is the consensus of the group. The responsibilities of an individual in a group context are thus balanced with the need for personal agency and freedom within the group.