[SOUND] Let's move to Groupthink. Do you remember a famous fairy tale about emperor who has no clothes? Instead of telling the truth, people pretend to agree with certain things, admire the clothes because it makes them look better. This case illustrates a phenomenon of groupthink. Irving Janis has made the most significant conceptualization of groupthink. Groupthink is a theory dedicated to understanding the decision-making process in groups. Janis originally defined the term as a mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in group. When the members striving for anonymity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action. Janis in 1972 defines groupthink as a negative group phenomenon characterized by a lack of critical evaluation of proposed ideas or courses of action that results from high levels of cohesion and high conformity pressures. Janis referred to this tendency as a concurrence seeking. Their rationality of decisions is distorted by dysfunctional group and social forces because members come to prize anonymity and agreement over considering all courses of action rationally. The basic terms of the groupthink theory is antecedent conditions, corresponding symptoms, effect on decision processes and ways the phenomena might be prevented. Janis observes three conditions that lead to groupthink. High levels of cohesion, specific structural characteristics of the environment in which the group functions, excessive conformity pressures. When groups exhibit high levels of social cohesion, members may be reluctant to criticize or question another group member's ideas or suggestions for fear that it would damage the relationship. Remember the fairy tale? In organization it may show up on group meetings that appear to go smoothly with only positive interaction among happy friendly people, may seem ideal, but these actions may be symptomatic of groupthink. Janis knows that specific structural characteristic outfalls promote groupthink. They include insulation of the group, lack of partial leadership, lack of clear procedures for decisions, and homogeneity of group members' backgrounds. Internal conformity pressures may still lead group members to withhold criticism of an idea because the norm is to defer todecisions made by organization. Leaders or majority of group members, external conformity pressures because of independent reward or punishment, time pressures or aggressively, there are also factors that can lead to groupthink. There are eight symptoms of groupthink. Let's discuss each of them. Illusion of invulnerability, that happens when members are highly optimistic and willing to take extreme risks. Collective efforts to rationalize, members cast doubt on validity of information that brings into question assumptions made. Illusion of morality, the moral consequences of a decision go unexplored because group members do not question the morality of the group. Excessive stereotyping, the group use rivals as too evil to warrant serious negotiations with them or too weak or stupid in efforts to defeat the group. Pressure to conform. Pressure is brought to bear against those members who disagree with the group, often through claims that such disagreements are indicative of disloyalty. Self-censorship, members do not voice dissenting or contrary views to the group concensus. Illusion of unanimity, there is a false perception that members have achieved a consensus. Silence is consent. Self-appointed mind-guards, some members take on the role of guarding the group from information that might call into question their effectiveness and morality of decisions made. There are ways the groupthink might be prevented. It requires oversight and control. It should embrace whistle-blowing, allow for objection, balance consensus and majority rule. According to Hart, to overcome groupthink, members of a group should follow this recommendations. Require oversight and control, which means develop resources to proactively monitor ongoing policy ventures. Establish incentives to intervene. Link personal fate to fate of group members. Embrace whistle-blowing are words suppressing concerns about group processes. Continue to disagree in debate when two satisfactory answers are given. Question assumptions, allow for objection. Provide for group members' exits. Do not play down the moral implications of course of action. Acknowledge private concerns about ethical issues in the group. Balance consensus and majority rule. Relieve pressure on groups in minority positions. Dissuade the development of sub-groups, introduce a multiple advocacy approach to decisions. The theory of groupthink has retained its appeal in the years and has been applied to diverse groups, not only groups in crisis periods. However, some scholars believe that the focus of the theory is primarily on decision-making groups, juries, councils, etc. In this lecture, we have presented antecedents and symptoms that lead to groupthink and identified some ways to prevent it. [SOUND]
