Groupthink
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What is Groupthink?
Coined by (Janis 1971), Groupthink is the phenomenon of reduced decision-making ability due to the tendency of groups to suppress dissent in the interests of group harmony. The most prominent example of groupthink is perhaps the Bay of Pigs affair, where advisors, seeking to preserve the harmony of the group, failed to warn Kennedy of the dangers of the plan.
What are the causes of groupthink?
There are many causes of groupthink, such as illusion or vulnerability and conformity/pressure to the group or authority figures. In Janis' studies, groups developed an excessive optimism that blinded them to the warnings of dangers. Being concerned with group cohesiveness and unanimity over realistic appraisal of the situation can also cause group think (Gray, 2002).
Example / Application
Example: Simpsons episode
Application: In the video, start at 3:46 and end at 4:48 . In the video, Marge and other women from the show are part of "Springfield Charity Chicks" with intent to raise money through fund raising. One proposal is to replicate the "beefcake" calendar from the Police Department, but using the "Charity Chicks" instead. Every single person in the group unanimously agrees with their "great idea" even though a little introspective and reflection would indicate that they may not be the best candidates for a pin up calendar. Instead, each goes along with the group mind.
