Group polarization is the tendency for a group’s discussion to push members toward more extreme positions in the direction the group already favors. When the majority leans one way, the conversation tends to amplify that stance, moving everyone to a more extreme version of it. This happens because members encounter new arguments that support the group’s view (informational influence) and because they want to align with the group and appear committed (normative influence). It leads to stronger, not more moderate, positions after discussion. Polarization can occur in various group sizes, not just in small groups. Hence, the best description is that more extreme positions emerge when the majority determines the direction.

The key idea is understanding the distinction between explanatory and predictive theories. Explanatory theories describe relationships observed between variables and aim to explain why those relationships occur. Predictive theories use those relationships to forecast outcomes in new situations or populations. The statement that best fits this is that explanatory theories describe relationships observed, while predictive theories predict relationships. The other options mix up what theories describe or rely on unrelated domains, or claim the two types are unrelated, which doesn’t fit how prediction usually follows from explained relationships.

Systematic desensitization is a listed intervention technique used in behavioral therapy. It trains the client in relaxation and then applies gradual exposure to feared stimuli through an anxiety hierarchy, pairing the exposure with the learned relaxation so the anxiety response decreases over time. This stepwise, structured method is what makes it a clear intervention technique aimed at changing behavior. Dream analysis and dream rehearsal come from psychodynamic or dream-focused approaches and aren’t standardized procedural techniques for behavioral change. Cognitive restructuring is a cognitive therapy technique centered on changing distorted thoughts, which belongs to a different therapeutic approach.

Ego Psychology centers on the ego as an active, organizing force in personality, emphasizing its adaptive functions, coping mechanisms, and development across the lifespan. Erik Erikson is a key figure here because he expanded the idea of how the ego helps people interact with their social world, not just how instincts drive behavior. He articulated eight psychosocial stages, each presenting a crisis that shapes identity and functioning as a person grows—from trust and autonomy in early life to integrity in old age. This focus on ongoing development, social context, and the ego’s capacity to adapt fits Ego Psychology’s emphasis on how people cope with real-world demands and maintain psychological balance over time. In contrast, Sigmund Freud laid the groundwork for psychoanalysis with a focus on psychosexual drives, Carl Rogers highlights a humanistic emphasis on self-actualization, and B.F. Skinner centers on observable behavior and conditioning. So Erik Erikson stands out as the major proponent among these options for Ego Psychology.