History of the Groupthink Concept

Conformist Herd Mentality by Brynn Who Likes Editing.  Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication

 

One of the things I have written about several times is how both therapists and psychotherapy theorists consistently confuse  things going on entirely in people's minds with conformist, herd mentality, or groupthink.

Groupthink is a term first in introduced by Irvin Janis (May 26, 1918 – November 15, 1990). He was an American research psychologist at Yale University, and coined the term in the 1970s. He mostly focused on business groups trying to come to a consensus, and not so much on the groupthink in politics, religion, and self-destructive behavior. He particularly looked at groups trying to minimize conflict without testing or analysis. This was similar to what was described by Margaret Heffernan. in her book Willful Blindness. 

A group is especially vulnerable to groupthink when its members are similar in background and insulated from outside opinions (as I would say, like any young kid in a family). They promote simplistic and stereotyped thinking, and stifle individual creative and independent thought.

Janis originally developed the concept of groupthink by analyzing major historical foreign-policy fiascos - such  the Vietnam War and the Bay of Pigs invasion, and wondering how intelligent leaders could make disastrously irrational decisions. The term itself was made to be similar to the doublethink idea from the dystopian novel 1984. Janis formally introduced the topic in a published an essay by Stephen J. Gerras in the Yale Alumni Magazine, and in a 1971 article in Psychology Today. Irvin then detailed it further in his 1972 book, Victims of Groupthink. 

It changed the way we think about decision making. People in groups make critical decisions, and fail to consider the full range of alternatives or consult experts who could offer different perspectives. 

He outlined eight symptoms of groupthink — behaviors that show up when decision-makers are more concerned with consensus than clarity.

•        Illusion of invulnerability

•        Collective rationalization

•        Belief in inherent morality

•        Stereotyping outsiders

•        Direct pressure on dissenters

•        Self-censorship

•        Illusion of unanimity

•        Illusion of unanimity

• Mindguards who shield the group from dissenting information