What term describes the spread of emotions through a group?

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Emotional contagion describes the spread of emotions through a group. People pick up others’ moods through cues like facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language, often unconsciously mirroring those feelings. That can cause the entire group to share a similar emotional state, whether upbeat or anxious, even without deliberate communication. This is distinct from group polarization, which refers to how group discussions can push members’ attitudes or decisions to be more extreme, not simply the spread of emotion. Social loafing is about individuals putting in less effort when they’re in a group, and the fundamental attribution error is about attributing others’ behavior to their character rather than the situation.