GroupthinkBy: Kiara Besonia

PreventionOverestimation of the group

◦Illusion of Invulnerability◦Belief in the Inherent Morality of the Group

Close-Mindedness◦Out-group stereotypes◦Collective Rationalization

Pressures towards Uniformity◦Self-censorship◦ Illusion of unanimity self appointed mindguards◦Pressures on dissenters

My Personal AccountWomen’s Club Indoor Volleyball

tournament at Sacred Heart University

The worst tournament that I’ve seen/been a part of in the three years that I have been on the TCNJ volleyball team

Overestimation of the Group

“I think we’re goingto do really welltoday, it looks likewe play a lot betterthan these teams.”

Illusion of InvulnerabilityThe group believes that they are invincible

Overestimation of the Group

Team has goodplayersthat make gooddecisions,but as a whole we donot

Belief in the Inherent Morality of the GroupThe group thinks of itself as good and therefore think their decision making is good as well…

Out-Group Stereotypes

Out of shape, nocoach, sloppy warmUp = No competition.

WRONG!

Create stereotypical views of group enemies or competitors

Closed-Mindedness

Collective RationalizationIgnoring signs that indicate that a change to the initial plan or decision

Closed-Mindedness

Bad practice on Monday, so we skipped practice on Wednesday

Self-CensorshipPeople of the group try to minimize their doubts and uncertainties

Pressures Toward Uniformity

We all knew we were playing badly, but none of us wanted to acknowledge it.

Illusion of UnanimitySilence means that everyone agrees

Pressures Toward Uniformity

Revamped the lineupand no oneprotested.

Self-Appointed Mindguards

Last team in the poolhas to referee therest of the games inthat pool.

People who try and protect the group from information that they feel is unfavorable towards the group

Pressures Toward Uniformity

Pressures on DissentersPressure on people in the group who do not agree with the rest of the group

Pressures Toward Uniformity

Preventing Groupthink

Looking at the range of objectives group members wish to achieve

Developing and reviewing action plans and alternatives

Preventing GroupthinkExploring the consequences of each

alternative

Analyzing previously rejected action plans when new information emerges

Having a contingency plan for failed objectives

Preventing Groupthink

Require oversight and control◦Establish a governing committee

Embrace Whistle Blowing◦Whistle blowing – voicing opinions when something

is wrong or can be done better

Allow for Objection

Balance Consensus and Majority Rule

Critique

Scope Testability

Concepts can be applied to several types of groups

Janis only meant it for decision-making groups

Scope = Narrow

Concurrence seeking?Incorporates self

esteem in his discussions, but not in his theory

Critique

Heurism Test of Time

The theory has been used in a number of studies

It has led to many assumptions about group behavior

Janis was called a pioneer in the study of social dynamics

Although derived more from theory than experiment or observation

Still very interesting

Groupthink = Abstract◦Why? – doesn’t necessarily work for all groups

Groupthink is concerned with how groups balance agreement when trying to make a decision.

The purpose of Groupthink is to assess the ways in which people begin to sacrifice the weighing of options during decision making in order to avoid pressure and conform with a group.

Discussion QuestionsWhat do you think?

If whistle blowing is so important, why does it seem like it is it looked down upon? Is there a way for society to change the way that we view whistle blowers?

Do you think that whistle blowing comes more from a person’s amount of self esteem? If so, what are and its affects of self esteem on Groupthink?