What is Groupthink?

Groupthink is a cognitive phenomenon in which the structural and psychological dynamics of a cohesive group impair its capacity for critical evaluation and rational decision-making. First conceptualized by Irving Janis (1972), groupthink arises when pressures for conformity, unanimity, or cohesion override an individual’s motivation to appraise alternatives or express dissenting opinions.

Technically, groupthink is characterized by a breakdown in decision-making heuristics and information processing fidelity within the group, often intensified by these factors:

• High group cohesiveness
• Directive leadership or hierarchical dominance
• Homogeneity of members’ backgrounds or viewpoints
• Time pressure or high-stakes environments 

What are the key characteristics of groupthink?

Groupthink is marked by a distinct set of cognitive, behavioral, and structural symptoms that compromise group decision-making integrity. Irving Janis identified a cluster of diagnostic indicators that signal the onset of groupthink in highly cohesive groups. Such symptoms can be categorized as:

1. Illusion of Invulnerability: The group develops excessive optimism and an inflated sense of risk tolerance. Often observed in high-stakes or crisis scenarios, this manifests as overconfidence in group decisions.
2. Collective Rationalization: Members give justifications to discount warning signs or contradictory evidence. They often engage in defensive attribution instead of critically analyzing feedback or data that challenges the group’s direction. 
3. Stereotyping of Out-Groups: Critics, external stakeholders, or dissenting voices are devalued or caricatured as uniformed, disloyal, or adversarial. It can also polarise discourse and restrict stakeholder engagement.
4. Direct Pressure on Dissenters: Explicit or implicit pressure is applied to individuals who question the group’s direction. This may involve reputational threats, exclusion from decision-making forums, or appeals to loyalty.
5. Illusion of Unanimity: The group interprets silence or passive agreement as full consensus, creating a pluralistic ignorance where members believe they’re the only ones with reservations. 
6. Mindguards: Designated or self-appointed members shield the group from dissenting information, external scrutiny, or expert critique. This informational filtering distorts collective situational awareness, reinforcing echo chambers.

What are the causes of groupthink?

Groupthink emerges from a confluence of structural, psychological, and situational factors that impair a group’s ability to process dissenting information and evaluate alternatives objectively. Some of these enabling conditions are:

• High Group Cohesiveness: Strong interpersonal bonds and loyalty within a group can override individual critical judgment. When cohesion becomes a dominant goal, members may prioritize relational harmony over analytical rigor. 
• Homogeneity of Perspectives: Group members with similar backgrounds or ideological views are more vulnerable to group-level confirmation bias and shared information effectiveness.
• Directive or Authoritarian Leadership: Leaders who express strong opinions early in the decision-making process (or discourage dissent) may create top-down normative pressure and lead to premature convergence.
• Structural Insulation: Groups that are organizationally or psychologically insulated from external stakeholders or experts are more likely to engage in closed-loop decision-making. 
• Ambiguous Norms for Dissent: When a team lacks formalized mechanisms for surfacing disagreement (e.g. devil’s advocacy, red-teaming), dissent may be perceived as disloyalty.