Media accounts of the noncompliant groups suggest that the conditions that often cause groupthinksuch as high levels of cohesion and isolation, stress, strong conformity pressures, and directive but misinformed leadershipwere all in evidence as these groups grew in influence and intensity. Also, individual members, like Secretary of State Dean Rusk, did not voice their contrary opinion in group discussions. 11 Examples of Groupthink. Before In case you dont know, this was an event where North Vietnamese ships attacked the U.S.S. Healthcare is not an industry where groupthink, blissful ignorance, or pandering to the powerful produce any appreciably positive results. This concept was first spoken about by social psychologist Irving Janis and journalist William H. Whyte. All it takes is one accusation, and an unthinking lynch mob will descend on you. Isolated from dissenting opinions, they thought of themselves as invincible. https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/admin/, Groupthink Definition and Theoretical Origins, What do Spanish People Look Like? Accessibility Groupthink: An Impediment to Success, by Clifton Wilcox Victims of groupthink; A psychological study of foreign-policy decisions and fiascoes, by Irving Janis. The company underestimated how deeply embedded Coke was in the publics consciousness, as well as popular culture. a. cooperation b. conflict c. social exchange d. coercion e. conformity. Figure 1. groupthink. Triggers give members an opportunity to reveal how they each view the problem at hand. Examples like these are why many boards now select a person who plays devils advocate. When people in groups have diverse backgrounds and experiences, they are better able to bring different perspectives, information, and ideas to the table. Groupthink Examples Show Problems With Teamwork. Do you voice your dissent or do you just go along with the majority opinion? Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 73(2-3), pp. Under the auspices of Nurse Keith Coaching, Keith's passion is helping nurses and healthcare professionals create ultimate satisfaction in both their personal and professional lives. This group might come to distrust and even inflict violence on outgroup members with different political views. Not only was Kony 2012 a stunning example of the theory of groupthink in action, but it also shows how easily social networks can manipulate the public. Essentially, a lack of conflict or opposing viewpoints leads to poor decisions. At one point, Kodak was the world leader in camera technology. Lord of the Flies is a 1954 novel by British author William Golding. The outright rejection of groupthink and ignorance is paramount if we are to move forward. 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. Discuss the group's ideas with an outside member in order to get impartial opinions. Think about the last time you were part of a group, perhaps during a school project. They preferred smaller and more fuel-efficient cars. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. Thus, in many instances, woe to the innovative nurse who has a new solution to offer. Letterman accepted a contract from rival CBS, launched The Late Show with David Letterman, and went into direct competition with NBC eventually winning the war for ratings and advertising money. We conducted a study in which we examined verbatim transcripts from four virtual task forces established in 2004, by the American Health Information Community (AHIC). The decision to launch Challenger that day, despite problems with mechanical components of the vehicle and unfavorable weather conditions, is cited as an example of groupthink. The symptoms of groupthink are: (i) stereotyping the adversarys ineptitude, (ii) illusions of invincibility leading to excessive risk taking (Janis, 1972),. Required fields are marked *, This Article was Last Expert Reviewed on December 16, 2022 by Chris Drew, PhD. Four of the main characteristics of groupthink include pressure to conform, the illusion of invulnerability, self-censorship, and unquestioned beliefs. Acknowledge the groups positive progress when members agree to the why even when disagreeing about the how. Groupthink then has negative effects. Groupthink can occur any time you involve a group of people in decision-making. Let us consider an example in a business setting. Students not opposing to a strict professors views or behavior because theyre concerned about how this might affect their grades. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. First, when evaluating a set of options specifically denote time on your agenda to challenge the status quo. Groupthink Definition. Group-level resistance to health mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic: A groupthink approach. It can lead to disastrous conclusions because moral and logical thinking is suspended. He has received a number of career awards recognizing his contributions from national and international associations. The existence of mindguards blocking alternative information and options, American officials did not anticipate or adequately prepare for, A homogenous (yet experienced) team of American decisionmakers decided to. 2013;5(8):225-240. To quell the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, health authorities urged people to take easy-to-implement precautions, such as limiting social interactions, wearing a face covering, and vaccinating. Groupthink is a term coined by Irving Janis in 1972. Although the plans to invade the Bay of Pigs had leaked out, they carried on ignoring the adverse warning signs (Janis, 1972). As we now know, the United States decision to ignore this critical information proved was an immense disaster. What this example really teaches us is how groupthink impacts your problem-solving abilities. While the phenomenon was popularized by . It can contribute to group members engaging in self-censorship. Another real-life scenario of groupthink discussed by Janis is the bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1941. Weak-willed and ineffective politicians, mercenary insurers, greedy pharmaceutical companies, cadres of lobbyists, and others standing in the way of innovation and positive change must be thwarted by most any means necessary. There are several possible explanations for this effect, including 'social loafing' and cognitive overload. As mentioned, the theory of groupthink was first spoken about by Yale psychologist Irving Janis. The phenomenon can have high costs. Because antihealth protests are, in some respects, intergroup conflicts, blurring the boundaries between groups or dissolving distinctions between groups altogether may limit noncompliance with health initiatives. Don't discourage dissent or challenges to the prevailing opinion. The power of groupthink: Study shows why ideas spread in social networks. This can contribute to inefficient decision making as ideas and thoughts go unchallenged in favour of cohesion. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved. What started out as a challenge to bring awareness to the motor neuron disease ALS soon spiraled into a terrifying example of groupthink. Initially coined in 1974 by Irving Janis, a professor of psychology at Yale University, in reaction to terminology used by George Orwell in his seminal novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, it is defined by Yale Alumni Magazine as when a group of intelligent people working together to solve a problem can sometimes arrive at the worst possible answer.. Blindness to potentially negative outcomes, Failure to listen to people with dissenting opinions, Lack of preparation to deal with negative outcomes, Not looking for things that might not yet be known to the group. Juries can also fall victim to groupthink. Consider allowing people to submit anonymous comments, suggestions, or opinions. A total of 22 articles were included-most were commentaries or narrative reviews with only four empirical research studies. Upon release, this ad sparked a huge outcry, resulting in it being pulled from television within a day. Boston: Houghton Mifflin; 1972. These 'symptoms' were developed by Janis to show the way groupthink influences individuals and teams. Med Teach. Before the launch, some engineers on the project raised concerns about the ability of the O-ring seals to withstand the launch temperatures and opposed the launch. In 'Groupthink', the members feel they have arrived at a decision which is in the best interest of all, which in reality is not. Groupthink is a common factor in bad decision-making and serious ethical breaches. They also stereotyped their enemies, deeming them unable to make correct decisions. In medical education, groupthink occurs in the long sleepless hours worked by medical residents. On December 2, 2001, energy giant Enron filed for bankruptcy. Rose JD. However, groupthink has been very influential in understanding group dynamics and poor decision-making processes in a much broader range of settings than initially imagined (Forsyth, 1990). The term groupthink was coined in 1952 by William Whyte to describe the perils of rationalized conformity. An example in health care is when a senior clinician dismisses or fails to take seriously the concerns of other (non-clinical) staff or patients about poor quality care. Due to high levels of liquidity, it was even known as the flying bank. During the 1990s, things started to change. What was once the worlds No. They have an electronic paper trail of who it was that accessed their data, when they accessed their data, and where they accessed their data. When this news hit the headlines, it proved to have dire consequences for the people behind the film (some were even arrested.) To the contrary, groupthink and its accompanying lack of knowledge or forethought are what has lent an air of inevitable dysfunction to healthcare delivery, especially in the United States, where we spend more per capita for far worse outcomes than any other industrialized country. Yet not all consensus-based problem-solving groups engage in groupthink. Gatekeeping. In fact, it was actually the first video in the history of YouTube to break one million views. Prior to making a major decision, go around the room and ask each member for the pros and cons of the decision. The phenomenon can have high costs. Familiarity with negative consequences of potential group conformity biases It marks a deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment that results from ingroup pressures (Janis, 1972, p. 9). To counter this, the company devised an audacious marketing plan. The negative effects of these faulty decisions eventually began to accumulate and eventually led to the collapse of the company. One of these rules required that students stand up when answering questions and begin their answer by saying Mr. Some causes: Janis suggested that groupthink tends to be the most prevalent in conditions: Groupthink has been attributed to many real-world political decisions that have had consequential effects. Groupthink. By Kendra Cherry Americans often believe what they want to, and here are some examples. government site. In 1992, talk show Johnny Carson decided to retire from The Tonight Show. 2017;4(8):170193. doi:10.1098/rsos.170193. These doctors were obviously a victim of groupthink and refused to alter their claims despite growing evidence that cigarettes caused health issues. Public health interventions, such as mandated vaccinating or quarantining during an epidemic, are necessary to limit the spread of communicable diseases, but in many cases, certain groups resist these initiatives. Overconfidence and hubris led to a series of bad decisions, which eventually caused the airline to collapse. We call these liminal ideas while they may not be the final solution, they function as transitional placeholders that allow the group to think both concretely (i.e., drilling down on how the idea might work) and abstractly (i.e., developing agreement around the broader principle in question). Verywell Mind's content is for informational and educational purposes only. They were sure that the Japanese would see the obvious futility of entering a war with the US. Another popular example is the Bay of Pigs invasion. Group polarization is defined as a phenomenon when "members of a deliberating group move toward a more extreme point in whatever direction is indicted by the members' predeliberation tendency.". What makes this an example of groupthink and acting without enough information was the fact that North Vietnam did not actually attack the U.S. unprovoked. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. People often find it hard to think and act independently in group situations. In January 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven astronauts aboard. Other team members appear excited about and pleased with the campaign, but you have some concerns. This book also demonstrates that the likelihood of groupthink greatly increases when you remove outside influences. The first shuttle, name Challenger was planned to take off in January 1986. Research has shown that consensus-based problem-solving groups are often where innovative ideasgo to die. An official website of the United States government. A primary threat to group effectiveness is groupthink. 'Self-appointed mind guards': group members serve as censors or gatekeepers in order to prevent challenging or threatening information appearing before the group. The movie was highly successful and quickly went viral. A number of factors can influence this psychological phenomenon. Groupthink: A Study in Self Delusion, by Mr Christopher Booker. In this form of groupthink, a more seasoned nurse might say, Well, I was hazed, bullied, and sabotaged as a new nurse and now its my turn to get some payback; why should these new nurses get off easy? This spurious practice is a significant driver of nurse attrition from the profession within the first few years following graduation and licensure; in terms of nursing shortages, this is a very unfortunate calculus indeed. This happens because group members want to keep a feeling of overall unity and/or harmony within the group, and this leads to dissenting voices being silenced. This is a root media process that can suffer from biases. Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell. 2018 Jul 19;7(1):101. doi: 10.1186/s13643-018-0762-1. The group also believed they were morally right and pressured other people to agree with them. Some members may also do this because they want to seem like a team players. People opposed to the decisions or overriding opinions of the group frequently remain quiet, preferring to keep the peace rather than disrupt the uniformity of the crowd. Groupthink also tends to lead group members to perceive the group as inherently moral or right. In the above conversation, Daniel acknowledged the team had broad agreement about some of these elements, while Dan notes that the group was at a good starting point. Celebrating moments of progress has been shown to help teams build morale and forward momentum to take on difficult and challenging tasks. The escalation of the Vietnam War was also studied by Janis as a manifestation of dysfunctional group dynamics. Groupthink has become a widely studied and accepted phenomenon. They can then frame a lack of final agreement as progress and so maintain morale and forward momentum. The Bay of Pigs Invasion showcases three characteristics of groupthink: (i) the illusion of invulnerability, (ii) stereotyping of the opponent and (iii) self-censorship. Launching an offensive advertising campaign for a consumer product because employees dont articulate their dissent. Consumers wanted a new look. Contexts facilitating Groupthink Table 1. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. At that point, you choose to go along with the group and start doubting that your idea is correct. groupthink n. a type of thinking engaged in by a group of people deliberating an issue, typically characterized by the making of injudicious decisions through individuals' unwillingness to challenge group consensus. The .gov means its official. Their higher intelligence also makes them believe that whatever they think is right. At the time, there was no standard technology platform for health care providers, and no common technical language or coordination efforts across state lines. Watch Out for Groupthink SMA News July 2014 Message from the Chief, Safety and Mission Assurance. Cognitive biases are worrisome for physicians because they can affect one's ability to gather evidence, interpret evidence, take action and evaluate their decisions, the authors noted. Read our, 9 Little Habits That Make You a Better Decision Maker, How to Lead: 6 Leadership Styles and Frameworks, How Your Brain May Trick You Into Conforming With Peers Against Your Beliefs, How a Transactional Leadership Style Works, Daily Tips for a Healthy Mind to Your Inbox, Group decision making: The potential for groupthink, Diverse perspectives on the groupthink theory - A literary review, Groupthink among health professional teams in patient care: A scoping review, Groupthink principles and fundamentals in organizations. 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