GROUPTHINK
When too much cohesion is a dangerous thing
Sometimes in highly cohesive groups the members become more concerned about maintaining positive group spirit than about making the most realistic decisions--a phenomenon known as groupthink. Examples of groupthink that have been studied include the Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba in the 1960s, the Vietnam War, and the space shuttle Challenger disaster in January 1986. The major symptoms of groupthink are identified and described below.
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SYMPTOM |
DESCRIPTION |
|
Illusion of invulnerability |
Ignoring obvious danger signals, being overoptimistic, and taking extreme risks |
|
Collective rationalization |
Discrediting or ignoring warning signals that run contrary to group thinking |
|
Unquestioned morality |
Believing that the group’s position is ethical and moral and that all others are inherently evil |
|
Excessive negative stereotyping |
Viewing the opposing side as being too negative to warrant serious consideration |
|
Strong conformity pressure |
Discouraging the expression of dissenting opinions under the threat of expulsion for disloyalty |
|
Self-censorship of dissenting ideas |
Withholding dissenting ideas and counterarguments, keeping them to oneself |
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Illusion of unanimity |
Sharing the false belief that everyone in the group agrees with its judgments |
|
Self-appointed mindguards |
Protecting the group from negative, threatening information |
When group members become fiercely loyal to each other they may ignore potentially useful information from other sources that challenges the group’s decisions. The result of this process is that the group’s decision may be completely uninformed, irrational, or even immoral.
Here are a few proven techniques to combat groupthink:
1. Promote open inquiry.
2. Use subgroups.
3. Admit shortcomings.
4. Hold second-chance meetings.