Groupthink
Due to a desire for conformity and harmony in the group, we make irrational decisions, often to minimize conflict.
social belief politics
Maria wants to get ice cream. Adrian wants to shop for t-shirts. You suggest getting t-shirts with picture if ice cream on them
The term was coined by Irving Janis, who described it as “a form of social coercion that leads individuals to suppress dissent in the interest of harmonious coherence.” To be sure, Groupthink doesn't always lead to bad decision-making. But when it does—it’s costly.
You can avoid it by doing the following
- Talk about your ideas with other people who might have different perspectives. This helps you get a wider perspective on the problem and identify any blind spots that might keep you from seeing all sides of an issue. It also helps you gather information from outside your own group so that you can make more informed decisions.
- When making decisions, take into account all available information—not just what the members of your group believe or want.