### TL;DR
**Groupthink:** is a mode of thinking that people enga...
Click here to see more
You can learn more and find the report here:
- [NASA - Rogers Comm...
> **Groupthink**: *"a mode of thinking that people engage in when t...
### The main symptoms of **Groupthink**.
*(Janis had to spot all o...
Janis introduced the concept of groupthink through the popular proc...
#### A Schematic and Theoretical Analysis of Groupthink according t...
CHAPTER
18
Groupthink
of Irving Janis
Challenger
Challenger
Challenger
THE CHALLENGER LAUNCH: A MODEL OF DEFECTIVE DECISION MAKING
235
Janis, I. (1991). Groupthink. In E. Griffin (Ed.) A First Look at
Communication Theory (pp. 235 - 246). New York: McGrawHill.
236
I
FIGURE 18.1
The Challenger Disaster
Challenger's Apollo 13
Challenger
GROUPTHINK
237
GROUPTHINK: A CONCURRENCE-SEEKING TENDENCY
gupthink
7
9
238
SYMPTOMS OF GROUPTHINK
Report of the
Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Disaster.10
Illusion of Invulnerability.
The book contains a cartoon at this location. Permission has been
granted only for use in the original print version of the book.
GROUPTHINK
239
I
240
IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN I IT'S NOT ALWAYS BAD
1984,
A
+
B-1
+
FIGURE
GROUPTHINK
241
0
D
0
I
242
Challenger
Challenger
GROUPTHINK
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244
GROUP AND PUBLIC COMMUNICAON
Cru
cial Decisions,
CRITIQUE: AVOIDING UNCRITICAL ACCEPTANCE OF GROUPTHINK
Challenger
Challenger
.
GROUPTHINK
245
19
1
QUESTIONS TO SHARPEN YOUR FOCUS
22
A SECOND LOOK
246
I
ENDNOTES
509
of
You can learn more and find the report here:
- [NASA - Rogers Commission Report](https://spaceflight.nasa.gov/outreach/SignificantIncidents/assets/rogers_commission_report.pdf)
- [Wikipedia - Rogers Commission Report](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Commission_Report)
> **Groupthink**: *"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."*
#### A Schematic and Theoretical Analysis of Groupthink according to I. Janis.
According to Janis groupthink does not always produce disastrous outcomes, it can sometimes lead to quicker consensus decisions (but minor decisions). He believes that when a group is confronted with a great problem or opportunity, **concurrence-seeking almost always produces an inferior solutions.**
Janis introduced the concept of groupthink through the popular process in 1971, you can read it here: [Janis, IL (1971). Groupthink. Psychology Today, 5, 43-46](http://web.mit.edu/curhan/www/docs/Articles/15341_Readings/Group_Dynamics/Janis_Groupthink_from_Psych_Today.pdf)
### The main symptoms of **Groupthink**.
*(Janis had to spot all or most of the symptoms before he would make a diagnosis of groupthink.)*
**1. Invulnerability:**
Members of the group share an illusion of invulnerability that creates
excessive optimism.
**2. Morality:**
Victims ignore the ethical or moral consequences of their decisions and believe in the morality of the group.
**3. Rationalization:**
Victims of this behavior ignore warnings and negative feedback that may cause the group to reconsider their previous assumptions.
**4. Stereotypes:**
Members of the group possess negative or stereotypical views of the group's "enemies".
**5. Self-censorship:**
Members of the group avoid deviating from what the group consensus is and keep quiet.
**6. Illusion of Unanimity:**
Members of the group share an illusion that the majority view and judgments of the group are unanimous.
**7. Pressure on Dissentees:**
Members of the group are not able to express their own individual arguments against the group.
**8. Mind Guards:**
Victims of groupthink may appoint themselves to protect the group and the group leader from information that may be contradictory to the group’s views and cohesiveness.
### TL;DR
**Groupthink:** is 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. Groupthink does not always produce negative outcomes, it can sometimes lead to quicker consensus decisions. Albeit I. Janis believes that when a group is confronted with a great problem or opportunity, concurrence-seeking almost always produces an inferior solutions.
The main symptoms of **Groupthink** are:
**1. Invulnerability:**
Members of the group share an illusion of invulnerability that creates
excessive optimism.
**2. Morality:**
Victims ignore the ethical or moral consequences of their decisions and believe in the morality of the group.
**3. Rationalization:**
Victims of this behavior ignore warnings and negative feedback that may cause the group to reconsider their previous assumptions.
**4. Stereotypes:**
Members of the group possess negative or stereotypical views of the group's "enemies".
**5. Self-censorship:**
Members of the group avoid deviating from what the group consensus is and keep quiet.
**6. Illusion of Unanimity:**
Members of the group share an illusion that the majority view and judgments of the group are unanimous.
**7. Pressure on Dissentees:**
Members of the group are not able to express their own individual arguments against the group.
**8. Mind Guards:**
Victims of groupthink may appoint themselves to protect the group and the group leader from information that may be contradictory to the group’s views and cohesiveness.