Understanding Groupthink: Symptoms, Remedies, and Consequences, Lecture notes of Remedies

Download Understanding Groupthink: Symptoms, Remedies, and Consequences and more Lecture notes Remedies in PDF only on Docsity! Groupthink What is it? Why should we care about it? What can we do about it? What is groupthink? •  groupthink occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of “mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment” (Irving Janis, 1972, p. 9). Collective Rationalization •  Members discount warnings and do not reconsider their assumptions. Belief in Inherent Morality •  Members believe in the rightness of their cause and therefore ignore the ethical or moral consequences of their decisions. Stereotyped Views of Out-groups •  Negative views of “enemy” make effective responses to conflict seem unnecessary Illusion of Unanimity The majority view and judgments are assumed to be unanimous. Self-appointed ‘mindguards’ •  Members protect the group and the leader from information that is problematic or contradictory to the group’s cohesiveness, view, and/or decisions Remedies for Groupthink •   The leader should assign the role of critical evaluator to each member •  The leader should avoid stating preferences and expectations at the outset   •  Each member of the group should routinely discuss the groups' deliberations with a trusted associate and report back to the group on the associate's reactions Failure to protect forces at Pearl Harbor in 1941 Bay of Pigs Fiasco in 1961 US Escalation of the  Vietnam War Predetermined Policy Decision about Iraq and Saddam Hussein •  Discount warnings and do not reconsider their assumptions even as other countries challenge them Dealing with Dissenters •  pressure not to express arguments against any of the administration’s actions. Imminent Danger from Weapons of Mass Destruction •  selective bias in processing information at hand What can we do about it? The Far Sider Ls ay ee Sy eS SEY aoe ~ “Wait! Wait! Listen to me! ... We don’t have to be just sheep!” Knowledge is Power •  Access a variety of media sources from around the world •  Think carefully and deeply about actions, policy, and their underlying assumptions Think About Underlying Assumptions and Implications