10 Questions
What is a pre-condition that can lead to groupthink?
High group cohesiveness
What is a structural factor that can contribute to groupthink?
Group insulation
Which decision-making process can help mitigate groupthink?
All of the above
What influence can lead to faulty decisions in a group?
High group cohesiveness
What is the role of stress in group decision-making?
Stress can evoke groupthink
What is the impact of group insulation on decision-making?
Group insulation can contribute to groupthink
What is the role of impartial leadership in group decision-making?
Impartial leadership reduces the risk of groupthink
What is the impact of homogenous backgrounds on group decision-making?
Homogenous backgrounds can contribute to groupthink
What is the role of group cohesiveness in group decision-making?
Group cohesiveness can contribute to groupthink
What is the impact of not having decision-making processes on group decision-making?
Not having decision-making processes can contribute to groupthink
Study Notes
Groupthink
- Groupthink suggests that groups make premature decisions, which can have lasting and tragic consequences.
- Conditions in a group can promote high cohesiveness, leading to collective thinking and a unified process.
Characteristics of Groupthink
- Overestimation of the group, leading to an illusion of invulnerability
- Belief in the inherent morality of the group, leading to a moral compass
- Closed-mindedness, with a tendency to stereotypes out-group members
- Collective rationalization, ignoring warnings about a decision
- Pressure towards uniformity, with self-censorship and an illusion of unanimity
- Self-appointed mindguards, minimizing doubts and counterarguments
- Pressure on dissenters, discouraging opposing views
Preventing Groupthink
- Brainstorming, nominal group technique, and Delphi technique can help prevent groupthink
- Changing policy and decision-making processes is essential
- Avoiding group insulation, ensuring impartial leadership, and using structured decision-making processes are crucial
- Having a diverse group membership from different backgrounds can help prevent groupthink
Factors Contributing to Groupthink
- Group cohesiveness, stress, and lack of impartial leadership can contribute to groupthink
- Homogenous group membership, lack of decision-making processes, and structural factors can also lead to groupthink
- Stress can evoke groupthink, causing the group to make faulty decisions
Identifying Groupthink
- Identifying symptoms of groupthink, such as overestimation of the group, closed-mindedness, and pressure towards uniformity, can help prevent its consequences
Test your knowledge on groupthink, a phenomenon where groups make faulty decisions due to group pressures. This quiz explores the conditions that promote high cohesiveness in a group and how it can lead to premature and tragic outcomes.
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