From: The Wall Street Journal
Much of What You Know About Groupthink Is Wrong
Everyone knows the concept of groupthink. A tightly knit and overconfident set of decision makers form an insular echo chamber, fail to see the big picture, and end up making disastrous decisions.
By now, most of us think we have a good sense of the sorts of conditions that cause groups to fall into this trap. But how good is that understanding?
Let’s start with a thought experiment. If you had to guess, which of the following teams is the most likely to fall prey to the pathologies of groupthink?
…
Read the whole story (subscription may be required): The Wall Street Journal
More of our Members in the Media >
Comments
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Member - 2 Years
Member Since 09/28/1995
Groupthink has become an accepted, exalted metaphor for malice. I’ve written on the topic in Psychological Bulletin, OBHDP, in book chapters, and elsewhere. I also have a forthcoming article on groupthink in The Psychologist. There is virtually no properly-executed research that supports the Janis groupthink model, and much that refutes it. It’s valuable to see someone providing valuable dissent.
Ray Aldag
APS regularly opens certain online articles for discussion on our website. Effective February 2021, you must be a logged-in APS member to post comments. By posting a comment, you agree to our Community Guidelines and the display of your profile information, including your name and affiliation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations present in article comments are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of APS or the article’s author. For more information, please see our Community Guidelines.
Please login with your APS account to comment.