What is Groupthink?

• A. A policy that discourages dissent and seeks unanimity.
• B. A psychological phenomenon in which people strive for consensus within a group.
• C. A method to dissolve groups quickly.
• D. A process to assign tasks randomly.

Answer: (B)

Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon where people strive for consensus within a group, often at the expense of critical thinking and realistic appraisal of alternatives. When a group values harmony and unity highly, members may downplay doubts, suppress dissent, and pressure others to conform, leading to flawed or risky decisions because warning voices aren’t heard and outside perspectives aren’t considered. Irving Janis popularized the term to describe how cohesive groups can overlook problems and overlook better options in the rush to agreement. The other options describe policies or actions that don’t capture this pressure for unanimous agreement within a group.