To help people identify when groupthink is occurring, irving janis devised eight symptoms that are indicative of groupthink. A group of people come to share a particular view or belief without a proper appraisaloftheevidence. Lessons from nasa and the dangers of groupthink in technology rollouts mark kelly, the nasa astronaut, is an excellent public speaker. Groupthink is a term first used in 1972 by social psychologist irving l. Groupthink theory and its implications for group decision making methods. Groupthink has become a widely studied and accepted phenomenon. Groupthink is only one factor among other influencing variables that could affect the quality of decisions. Pdf groupthink in temporary organizations researchgate. We censor ourselves to avoid conflict within our team. The group is so concerned with maintaining unanimity that they fail to evaluate all. Groupthink is essentially a psychological phenomenon wherein a group of people is looking for common harmony and desire.
Janis focused on problemsolving groups and taskoriented groups and found that three antecedent conditions promote groupthink. Testing limitations, and their mixed experimental results, lead to a wide diversity of perspectives regarding the model. Our initial response to this occurrence is to question how people can commit such a. James surowiecki groupthink being a coinage and, admittedly, a loaded one a working definition is in order. Groupthink occurs when a group values harmony and coherance over accurate analysis and critical evaluation. We fail to speak up or offer an alternative idea in group meetings and discussion simply because we want to. The result of a team having groupthink as a practice or habit is that the team can make bad or irrational decisions. Groupthink theory suggests that poor decision outcomes are more likely when groupthink symptoms are present. Although the term was coined as a negative one, groupthink now has both positive and negative versions. Unless the organizations leaders take an active role in making certain groupthink is monitored and corrected when appropriate. Groupthink is a widely utilizedtheory in social psychology, organizational theory, group decisionmaking sciences, and management fields.
He attempted to determine why groups, often consisting of individuals with exceptional intellect and talent, made irrational decisions. At the hearing, engineer brian russell noted that nasa managers had shifted the moral rules under which they operated. In this article, i discuss some famous examples of political and military fiascoes associated with groupthink, some symptoms of groupthink, and ways to avoid groupthink. Members believe that their group can do no wrong 3. Nov 25, 2015 art markman, phd, is the annabel irion worsham centennial professor of psychology and marketing at the university of texas at austin and founding director of the program in the human dimensions of.
The first two stem from overconfidence in the groups prowess. Under the sway of groupthink, members automatically assume the rightness of their cause. I do not mean to imply that all cohesive groups necessarily suffer from groupthink. Overall the groupthink model has been supported by context analysis and case studies for example the challenger shuttle disaster. Groupthink can lead collective rationalization, lack of personal accountability and pressure to acquiesce. Groupthink prevails when the need to conform is operating.
Some conclude groupthink is no better than a myth, while others believe it is a brilliant construct. It is caused due to various pressures existing within the group and efforts made to stifle dissent from members. The papers analysis of group morale and groupthink in organizations relates it to a third strand. More mundane, but no less important, is the effect groupthink has on businesses and corporations every day. Effects of groupthink on tactical decisionmaking by major phillip m. Groupthink reduces the efficiency of collective problem solving within such groups. All these groupthink dominated groups were characterized by strong pressures toward uniformity, which inclined their members to avoid raising controversial issues, questioning weak arguments, or calling a halt to softheaded thinking. His initial works sparked an explosion of research into how group behaviors, biases, andpressures affect group decisionmaking. Irving lester janis developed a study on decision making based on human social behavior in which maintaining group cohesiveness and solidarity is felt more important than considering the facts in a realistic manner. Research limitationsimplications groupthink as a theoretical idea is well. This term was first given by irving janis who was a social psychologist. If youre out with a group of four other people you eat about 75% more and groups of 7 or more eat 96% more than if they were alone. As a result, the financial auditing process is now.
The desire for harmony or conformity is so strong that no one dares say no. Symptoms of groupthink janis has documented eight symptoms of groupthink. Groups experiencing groupthink do not consider all alternatives and they desire unanimity at the expense of quality decis. A psychological study of foreign policy decisions and fiascoes by irving l. He describes groupthink as a situation whereby each member of the group attempts to match their opinions on what they believe to be the current consensus of the group. Groupthink happens when groups strive for extreme consensus at the cost of effective decision making. Janis originally defined groupthink as a mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive ingroup, when the members strivings for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alter native courses of action. Members ignore danger, take extreme risk and are overly optimistic.
In an unprecedented way, janis applied ideas from smallgroup analysis to the explana tion of policy fiascoes. A psychological study of foreignpolicy decisions and fiascoes, which focused on the psychological mechanism behind foreign policy decisions such as the pearl harbor bombing, the vietnam war, and the bay of pigs invasion. The list is an adaptation of the table presented by sims 1992, p. Symptoms of groupthink include invulnerability, inherent morality, rationalization, stereotyped views of opposition, selfcensorship, illusion of unanimity, peer pressure, and mindguards. The case studies in table 3 apply only a subset of the janis 1982 groupthink model, the groupthink symptoms. What are some examples of groupthink and what was the. Symptoms of groupthink some of the traditional symptoms of janiss groupthink model 1972 and potential hazards are described below. Janis victims of groupthink paul t hart1 introduction victims of groupthink. But for our present purpose, we can draw out from his work three characteristics of. The psychological phenomenon of groupthink with examples. Financial industry as a whole exhibited herd behavior with cdos and other abss, and many organizations, like lehman and aig, demonstrated groupthink and got themselves in too deep. In fact, it is now widely recognized that groupthink like behavior is found in many situations and across many types of groups and team settings.
A checklist diane riordan james madison university michael riordan james madison university abstract scandalous events have prompted congress to investigate the accounting profession, and the accounting profession to examine itself. The 2014 case of jerry sandusky is an example of groupthink. For example, ahlstrom and wang 2009 completed a study using the groupthink model to assess frances defeat by germany in 1940. Groupthink causes them to shut off the outside influence and work as per their own following and groupthink. May 18, 2016 groupthink is defined as the practice of approaching issues as matters to be dealt with by consensus of a group rather than by individuals acting independently.
His speeches focus on the topic of how to build highperformance teams, and they are anchored by a quotation he learned early in his nasa career none of us is as dumb as all of us. May 30, 2019 groupthink is a phenomenon developed in groups marked by the consensus of opinion without critical reasoning or evaluation of consequences or alternatives. Groupthink, mode of thinking in which individual members of small cohesive groups tend to accept a viewpoint or conclusion that represents a perceived group consensus, whether or not the group members believe it to be valid, correct, or optimal. In turn, the symptoms of groupthink cause seven different symptoms. According to irving janis, the inventor of the groupthink concept, decisionmaking groups are most likely to experience groupthink when they operate under the following conditions. Pratkanis u n iversitt oj calijornia, s anta cruz in this paper, we examine the historical development of the groupthink model and discuss recenl responses to the body of. Janis suggested that groupthink happens when there is.
Janis believes that groups frequently make decisions with profound consequences, and although he focused his efforts on foreign policy groups, the application of groupthink terminology resonates in many other decisionmaking groups. Groupthink and the ubiquitous nature of polarized group decisionmaking. The symptoms of groupthink arise when the members of decisionmaking groups become motivated to avoid being too harsh in their judgments of their leaders. Groupthink is a theory dedicated to understanding the decisionmaking process in small groups. Groupthink principles and fundamentals in organizations journal. In order to do this, people need to understand what groupthink is. Baron department of psychology university of iowa running head. Groupthink can be diagnosed or observed when most or all of the following symptoms are present. However, groupthink can compromise your ability to make the best decisions possible, gerstandt said. Janis listed eight symptoms that show that concurrence seeking has led the group astray. In groupthink in his classic 1972 study, victims of groupthink. Mar 08, 20 groupthink is a psychological phenomenon in which everyone in a group goes along with a decision without critical evaluation of alternative ideas or viewpoints.
This causes the group to minimize conflict and reach a consensus. Or have seen someone make a big mistake in the name of maintaining peace in the group. The symptoms of groupthink traditionally have been treated as part of a single process associated with poor decision making in groups. Illusion of invulnerability creates excessive optimism that encourages taking. Irving janis introduced the theory of groupthink in his classic study victims of groupthink in 1972.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Symptoms of groupthink are the illusion of invulnerability, whitewash of critical thinking, negative stereotypes of outsiders, and direct pressure being applied to any dissenter. Moormead 1991 applied the groupthink model on the decision making process and found that symptoms and antecedents of groupthink were replicated in this fiasco. The list of groupthink investments that have gone terribly wrong over the years is a long one. Esser lamar university this article provides a summary of empirical research on groupthink theory. Research into the phenomenon ofgroupthink is a pertinent area of study that involves understanding how group processes influence the making of decisions.
Janis that refers to a psychological phenomenon in which people strive for consensus within a group. The first condition is a high degree of cohesiveness, which he described as the extent to which group members are willing to work together. It can be tackled by encouraging individual views and criticism. Some groups are quick to make decisions to maintain cohesion, but this can be a critical mistake to make. The main principle of groupthink, which i offer in the spirit of parkinsons law is this. Lessons from nasa and the dangers of groupthink in. Groupthink definition, causes and ways to prevent it. Groupthink is a psychological phenomena where we agree with other people just to keep the harmony of the group, even though in secret we dont agree with them.
Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the. Desiree loria, junior communication studies major at azusa pacific university. Pdf groupthink, as traditionally conceived, is a failure in group decision making that occurs in highly cohesive groups. The second, typically identified as symptoms of defective decisionmaking.
Then you have experienced or witnessed a phenomenon known as groupthink. Evaluating janis groupthink model of faulty decision. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. His initial works sparked an explosion of research into how group.
Sep 05, 2015 how to recognize the dangers of groupthink monte on september 5, 2015 strict conformity of opinion is the enemy of intellectual liberty and both conservatives and liberals fall into this trap. One cannot assume that groupthink is the cause of practically every miscalculation or poor decision reached by a group. The problemsolving process that prevents groupthink. Guarding against groupthink in the professional work environment. Guarding against groupthink in the professional work. Intense pressure from the outside to make a good decision. They essentially limited their assessment to only the groupthink symptoms and did not. To make groupthink testable, irving janis devised eight symptoms indicative of groupthink. Examining the symptoms of groupthink and retrospective. What are the signs that group loyalty has caused members to slip into a group think mentality. It is most often present in groups that are not open to the public, such as small religious groups or some social activist organizations. When groupthink occurs, in other words, the benefits of diversity can be lost. All ingroups may have a mild tendency toward groupthink, displaying one or another of the symptoms from time to time, but it need not be so dominant as to influence the quality of the groups final decision.
The theory of groupthink applied to nanking during their occupation of the city of nanking, japanese forces perpetrated inconceivable acts of violence and disrespect towards human life. Twentyfive years of groupthink theory and research. The janis 1982 groupthink model includes various elementsnamely, the antecedent conditions cohesion a, structural faults b1, and situational factors b2, symptoms of groupthink c, symptoms of defective decisionmaking, d and prevention recommendations not labeled by janis. Dec 03, 2016 groupthink is a term coined by psychologist irving janis in 1972. Groupthink principles and fundamentals in organizations.
A reappraisal of the groupthink phenomenon and a new model of group decision processes ramon j. The first, traditionally labeled symptoms of groupthink, include illusions of invulnerability, collective rationalization, stereotypes of outgroups, selfcensorship, mind guards, and belief in the inherent morality of the group. The present study explores the symptoms of groupthink as reflecting two distinct processes that vary depending on the confidence individuals have in the decision favored by the group. Groupthink occurs when a group of wellintentioned people make irrational or nonoptimal decisions spurred by the urge to conform or the discouragement of dissent. A study on our eating habits found that, on average, if you dine with one other person you will eat about 35% more than if you were eating alone. Have you ever agreed with your friends on something just to avoid feeling left out. Symptoms of groupthink include a encouraged functional. Pdf on jan 1, 1997, wekselberg victor and others published groupthink. How to recognize the dangers of groupthink a backstage. Its other downside, he said, is that it is wasteful of one of our best resources. Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decisionmaking outcome. In many cases, people will set aside their own personal beliefs or adopt the opinion of the rest of the group.
Aldag and sally riggs fuller in the past two decades, there has been a substantial increase in emphasis on groups in organizations in general e. To deal with the herd mentality problem, here are the 8 symptoms of groupthink from the little book of behavioral investing by james montier. Critical evaluators, outside expertise, and devils advocates are among the preventive measures recommended by irving janis, who coined the term groupthink. In my studies of highlevel governmental decisionmakers, both civilian and military, i have found eight main symptoms of groupthink. Groupthink definition groupthink refers to decisionmaking groups extreme concurrence seeking conformity that is hypothesized to result in highly defective judgments and outcomes. Groupthink is an occurrence where by a group comes to a unanimous decision about a possible action despite the existence of fact that points to another correct course of action. He identified eight symptoms that he identified eight symptoms that are grouped into three categories. Groupthink is a concept that was identified by irving janis a forefather in the study of group dynamics in 1972 that refers to faulty decisionmaking in a group. As a result, groupthink has been blamed for decision making fiascoes in politics, the military, as well as in business. As a result of their illusions, the group may not currently. Groupthink is a phenomenon developed in groups marked by the consensus of opinion without critical reasoning or evaluation of consequences or alternatives. There are several symptoms of groupthink that contribute to negative. Groupthink is the name given to a theory or model that was extensively developed by irving janis 1972 to describe faulty decision making that can occur in groups as a result of forces that bring a group together group cohesion.
Groupthink meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. This lesson explains the concept of groupthink using the challenger explosion as an example. It is believed that groupthink was operating during the bay of pigs. The next pair reflect the tunnel vision members use to view the problem. Janis several times set out lists of the symptoms of groupthink, and his lengthy study included much analysis of its other attributes. Evaluating janis groupthink model of faulty decision making. Groupthink is often characterized by the dehumanization of victims, a sense of invulnerability and an immoral, unethical or irrational decision making. I had the distinct feeling that we were in the position. What are the signs that group loyalty has caused members to slip into a groupthink mentality. For symptoms of groupthink, janis listed eight symptoms grouped into three types. Jan 16, 2020 the important thing about groupthink is that it works not so much by censoring dissent as by making dissent seem somehow improbable. Most or all of the members of the ingroup share an illusion of invulnerability that provides for them some degree of reassurance about obvious dangers and leads them to become overoptimistic and willing to take extraordinary risks. Diverse perspectives on the groupthink theory a literary.
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