Group Decision-Making

Question 1

• A faulty thinking by members of a highly cohesive groups in which the critical scrutiny that should be devoted to the issues at hand is subverted by social pressures to reach consensus
• when good groups make bad decisions

Answer 1

groupthink

Question 2

• Unquestioned belief in group’s morality
• Rationalization
• Stereotypes view of opponent
• Conformity pressure
• Mindguards: People in the group that shut down dissent/disagreeing opinions

Answer 2

Components/symptoms of groupthink

Question 3

• Be impartial
• Subdivide the group
• Reduce homogeneity through diversity
• Leaders don’t speak first
• Have a devil’s advocate
• Encourage and welcome criticisms from outsiders
• Before implementing decision, call a second chance meeting

Answer 3

How can we prevent groupthink?

Question 4

For the purpose of conformity

Answer 4

Self-censorship

Question 5

persons altering their decision-making processes to more extreme choices while a part of a group

Answer 5

Risky shift

Question 6

• Group-produced enhancement of members’ preexisting tendencies
• The tendency for group decisions to be more extreme than those made by individuals

Answer 6

group polarization

Question 7

Everyone thinks they’re on the same page

Answer 7

Illusion of unanimity

Question 8

“We’re all good people, we can’t go wrong– no matter what we decide it will be fine”

Answer 8

Illusion of invulnerability

Question 9

Members of the group develop rationalizations to explain away any warning that is contrary to the group’s thinking

Answer 9

Collective rationalization