This situation could be described as "groupthink". Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people, in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. Members may suppress dissenting viewpoints, and there's also the potential for individual creativity, uniqueness, and independent thinking to be lost.

Here are the steps that typically lead to groupthink:

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

2. Collective rationalization: Members discredit and explain away warning contrary to group thinking.

3. Belief in inherent morality: Members believe in the rightness of their cause and therefore ignore the ethical or moral consequences of their decisions.

4. Stereotyped views of out-groups: Negative views of “enemy” make effective responses to conflict seem unnecessary.

5. Direct pressure on dissenters: Members are under pressure not to express arguments against any of the group’s views.

6. Self-censorship: Doubts and deviations from the perceived group consensus are not expressed.

7. Illusion of unanimity: The majority view and judgments are assumed to be unanimous.

8. 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.

When the above symptoms exist in a group that is trying to make a decision, it could be suffering from groupthink.

Question

This situation could be described as "groupthink". Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people, in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. Members may suppress dissenting viewpoints, and there's also the potential for individual creativity, uniqueness, and independent thinking to be lost.

Here are the steps that typically lead to groupthink:

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

2. Collective rationalization: Members discredit and explain away warning contrary to group thinking.

3. Belief in inherent morality: Members believe in the rightness of their cause and therefore ignore the ethical or moral consequences of their decisions.

4. Stereotyped views of out-groups: Negative views of “enemy” make effective responses to conflict seem unnecessary.

5. Direct pressure on dissenters: Members are under pressure not to express arguments against any of the group’s views.

6. Self-censorship: Doubts and deviations from the perceived group consensus are not expressed.

7. Illusion of unanimity: The majority view and judgments are assumed to be unanimous.

8. 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.

When the above symptoms exist in a group that is trying to make a decision, it could be suffering from groupthink.

Knowee AI · Accepted Answer