Chapter 14 Notes - Groupthink PDF

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Chapter 14 Notes - Groupthink...

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Chapter 14 Notes Groupthink Based on the research of Irving Janis. A push for unity. Don’t affectively view alternatives. Groupthink - a way of group deliberation that minimizes conflict and emphasizes the need for unanimity

Assumptions of Groupthink • Conditions in groups promote high cohesiveness. • Group problem solving is primarily a unified process. • Groups and group decision making are frequently complex. Problem-solving groups - sets of individuals whose main task is to make decisions and provide policy recommendation task-oriented groups - sets of individuals whose main goal is to work toward completing jobs assigned to them cohesiveness - a cultural value that places emphasis on the group over the individual affiliative constraints - when members withhold their input rather than face rejection from the group homogeneity - group similarity. Groups where members are similar to one another.

What Comes Before: Antecedent Conditions of Groupthink Janis believes that three conditions promote groupthink: (1) high cohesiveness of the decisionmaking group, (2) specific structural characteristics of the environment in which the group functions, and (3) stressful internal and external characteristics of the situation. group insulation - a group’s ability to remain unaffected by outside influences lack of impartial leadership - groups led by individuals who put their personal agendas first lack of decision-making procedures - failure to provide norms for solving group issues

internal and external stress - pressure exerted on the group by issues and events both inside and outside of the group

Symptoms of Groupthink concurrence seeking - efforts to search out group consensus Overestimation of the Group overestimation of the group - erroneous belief that the group is more than it is illusion of invulnerability - belief that the group is special enough to overcome obstacles belief in the inherent morality of the group - assumption that the group members are thoughtful and good; therefore, the decisions they make will be good Closed-Mindedness closed-mindedness - a group’s willingness to ignore differences in people and warnings about poor group decisions out-group stereotypes - stereotyped perceptions of group enemies or competitors collective rationalization - situation in which group members ignore warnings about their decisions Pressures Toward Uniformity pressure toward uniformity - occurs when group members go along to get along self-censorship - group members minimize personal doubts and counterarguments illusion of unanimity - belief that silence equals agreement self-appointed mindguards - individuals who protect the group from adverse information pressures on dissenters - direct influence on group members who provide thoughts contrary to the group’s

Think Before You Act: Ways to Prevent Groupthink whistle-blowing - process in which individuals report unethical or illegal behaviors or practices to others. People that speak up.

conscientious objectors - group members who refuse to participate because it would violate personal conscience

Integration, Critique, and Closing Communication Tradition – Socio-Psychological & Socio-Cultural Communication Context – Small Group & Organizational Approach to Knowing – Positivistic/Empirical Critique – Scope, Testability, Heurism, Test of Time...