Irving Janis

Definition

Irving Janis was a social psychologist who studied the phenomenon of groupthink, which occurs when a group of people make irrational or dysfunctional decisions due to a desire for conformity and a lack of critical thinking. His work on groupthink has become an important concept in the field of group decision-making.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Janis identified eight symptoms of groupthink, including an illusion of invulnerability, collective rationalization, and pressure to conform.
2. Groupthink is more likely to occur in highly cohesive groups that are insulated from outside information and led by a directive leader.
3. Janis believed that groupthink could lead to poor decision-making, as groups become overly confident and fail to consider alternative perspectives.
4. Groupthink has been used to explain various historical events, such as the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Challenger space shuttle disaster.
5. Janis proposed several strategies to mitigate the effects of groupthink, including the use of impartial leadership, the introduction of outside experts, and the encouragement of dissenting opinions.

Review Questions

• Explain how Irving Janis' concept of groupthink relates to group decision-making.
  • Irving Janis' concept of groupthink is directly relevant to group decision-making. Groupthink occurs when a group's desire for harmony and conformity leads to a deterioration of critical thinking and an inability to consider alternative perspectives. This can result in poor, irrational, or dysfunctional decisions by the group. Janis identified several antecedent conditions that contribute to the development of groupthink, such as high group cohesiveness, insulation from outside information, and directive leadership. Understanding the dynamics of groupthink can help groups avoid these pitfalls and make more effective decisions.
• Describe the eight symptoms of groupthink identified by Irving Janis and explain how they can impact group decision-making.
  • According to Irving Janis, the eight symptoms of groupthink are: an illusion of invulnerability, collective rationalization, belief in the inherent morality of the group, stereotyped views of out-groups, direct pressure on dissenters, self-censorship, an illusion of unanimity, and the emergence of self-appointed mindguards. These symptoms can have a significant impact on group decision-making by leading to a lack of critical evaluation, a failure to consider alternative perspectives, and an overconfidence in the group's ability to make the right decision. This can result in poor decisions that fail to account for potential risks or drawbacks, as the group becomes increasingly insulated and resistant to outside input.
• Evaluate the strategies proposed by Irving Janis to mitigate the effects of groupthink in group decision-making.
  • Irving Janis proposed several strategies to help mitigate the effects of groupthink in group decision-making. These include the use of impartial leadership, the introduction of outside experts to provide alternative perspectives, the encouragement of dissenting opinions and critical evaluation, the division of the group into subgroups to promote independent thinking, and the periodic review of the group's decision-making process. By implementing these strategies, groups can foster a more open and critical decision-making environment, reducing the likelihood of groupthink and improving the quality of their decisions. Evaluating the effectiveness of these strategies requires considering the specific context and dynamics of the group, as well as the potential challenges and limitations in their implementation.

Related terms

Groupthink:

A psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people, in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome.

Concurrence-Seeking: The tendency of group members to seek agreement and avoid conflict, even at the expense of critically evaluating the group's decisions.

Antecedent Conditions: The factors that contribute to the development of groupthink, such as high group cohesiveness, insulation of the group, and directive leadership.