GROUPTHINK

[T.Ruth2power]

Groupthink is a type of thought exhibited by group members who try to minimize conflict and reach consensus without critically testing, analyzing, and evaluating ideas. During Groupthink, members of the group avoid promoting viewpoints outside the comfort zone of consensus thinking. A variety of motives for this may exist such as a desire to avoid being seen as foolish, or a desire to avoid embarrassing or angering other members of the group. Groupthink may cause groups to make hasty, irrational decisions, where individual doubts are set aside, for fear of upsetting the group’s balance. The term is frequently used pejoratively, with hindsight.



Origin

The term was coined in 1952 by William H. Whyte in Fortune:

“ Groupthink being a coinage — and, admittedly, a loaded one — a working definition is in order. We are not talking about mere instinctive conformity — it is, after all, a perennial failing of mankind. What we are talking about is a rationalized conformity — an open, articulate philosophy which holds that group values are not only expedient but right and good as well. ”

Irving Janis, who did extensive work on the subject:

“ A mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group, when the members' strivings for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action.<1> ”

The word groupthink was intended to be reminiscent of Newspeak words such as "doublethink" and "duckspeak", from George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink



- Illusion of Invulnerability: Members ignore obvious danger, take extreme risk, and are overly optimistic.

- Collective Rationalization: Members discredit and explain away warning contrary to group thinking.

- Illusion of Morality: Members believe their decisions are morally correct, ignoring the ethical consequences of their decisions.

- Excessive Stereotyping:The group constructs negative sterotypes of rivals outside the group.

- Pressure for Conformity: Members pressure any in the group who express arguments against the group's stereotypes, illusions, or commitments, viewing such opposition as disloyalty.

- Self-Censorship: Members withhold their dissenting views and counter-arguments.

- Illusion of Unanimity: Members perceive falsely that everyone agrees with the group's decision; silence is seen as consent.

- Mindguards: Some members appoint themselves to the role of protecting the group from adverse information that might threaten group complacency.

[Didereaux]

1. The following fall into the category nicely...

PC Touchy-Feelies and Twirly-eyed religious zealots!

[MedleyMisty]

4. Hmm....

"Excessive Stereotyping: The group constructs negative sterotypes of rivals outside the group."

[Didereaux]

6. 'excessive stereotyping'...the mating call of the Touchy-Feely heheh

[Forkboy]

2. I agree with whatever you guys decide.

:evilgrin:

[stirlingsliver]

3. Can I Just Watch TV Instead?

Watching TV is so much fun.

Thinking hurts my brain.

Whatever you want me to do -- just put it on TV.

But don't interrupt "My Super Sweet 16".

[seemslikeadream]

7. I like it Black and White

[stillcool]

5. I think it's human nature..

I think of a long ago, far away place and wonder if those people..that tribe I left behind are still living within the parameters to which we were born. If there is no reason to travel outside the safety zone, how could one see any other realm of being? And then, isn't the fear of 'other' compounded by the inability to know that life in 'other-land' continues to go on until it doesn't? I think of my own fractured 'belief-system', and how I still fight to gather the shards and attempt to put it back together, all the while knowing it was all a facade...it never was. Must be the holidays are upon me.