Groupthink is a concept introduced by Irving Janis in 1972, & it refers to the phenomenon where groups can make very poor decisions due the pressure of the majority consensus. Janis argued that groupthink was particularly common in situations when groups prioritized unanimity over critical evaluation, which could lead to flawed decision making (Rose, 2011). Over the years, and exemplified by real life historical events (like the Bay of Pigs), it has been proven to be a reliable model to help us better understand human dynamics.
Groupthink however remains to be controversial. This is mainly due to lack of official empirical testing. Experimental studies have indeed yielded mixed results, especially in Janis’ particular conditions he laid out, like group cohesion & structural faults (Rose, 2011). An example is certain studies showing that while cohesive groups may foster agreement, this particular cohesion doesn’t always result in poor decision-making, & can often yield improved decision making, not reduced(Rose, 2011).
Historically, however, we have seen the evidence of groupthink in real-world settings multiple times. Rose, 2011, references political & corproate scandals, jury decision-making processes, & boardroom failures, all as different examples of what the damage groupthink can do. Even though it appears that this concept isn’t empiracally tested as some others, I thoroughly agree with the author that there is plenty of proof out there in the real world that this concept is still extremely valuable.
In conclusion, despite the massive popularity & assumed fact of this concept, it has many critics who believe it is not an accurate way of evaluating the behavior of groups. The author of this article suggest that moving forward, the best course of action is to refine Janis’ model. By testing Janis’ concept empirically, bringing in external experts, and promoting critical evaluation, we can help reduce the risk of groupthink.
References:
Rose, J. D. (2011). Diverse perspectives on the groupthink theory: A literary review. Emerging Leadership Journeys, 4(1). Regent University. https://www.regent.edu/journal/emerging-leadership-journeys/groupthink-theory/
Hi there!
I enjoyed reading your post! The phenomenon of groupthink will always be so fascinating to me. I feel like I have heard about it in every one of my classes for the past three and a half years but it still interests me and ties into the topic of diversity quite well. Groupthink basically occurs when a group limits creativity and diversity for the desire for conformity and cohesion (Gruman et al., 2016). I remember first learning about the issue and how this type of decision-making could lead to such disastrous consequences and thinking, “How bad could it be?” Once we got to the examples I was shocked by just how impactful this effect is and how it truly can affect any group. The one story that always stuck out to me was the Challenger space shuttle explosion that occurred just 73 seconds after it launched on January 28, 1986 (Kenton, 2024). I remember my PSYCH 100 professor showing the video of the explosion during our lecture. Investigators later discovered there were a series of poor decisions related to groupthink that led to the deaths of all seven astronauts on board (Kenton, 2024). The day before the launch, engineers warned about possible issues with the rockets failing in the predicted temperatures (Kenton, 2024). Still, NASA dismissed the scientific claims to stay on schedule leading to disastrous results (Kenton, 2024).
Good job!
-Colton
References
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (Eds.). (2016). Applied social psychology : Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. SAGE Publications, Incorporated.
Kenton, W. (2024, June 12). What is groupthink? Definition, characteristics, and causes. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/groupthink.asp