講義教案講稿group thinking

1、The term Group think proposed by social psychologist Irving Janis (1972) describes the phenomenon that it is more likely to make a faulty decision when a group decision making happens especially in a cohesive group. Irving Janis stated the reason that group pressure will lead to a deterioration of “

2、mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment”. In specific, individuals will be isolated, ridiculed or punished by group member if their behaviors fail to satisfy expectation of group norm. Thus, in order to maintain aceful environment and secure position, individuals are easily affected b

3、y the excessive consensus of group which will distort their perception, judgment or action. In general, group thinking is negativeeoftheundue group conformity. A group is often vulnerable to groupthink and causes many undesirable incidents such as Bay of Pigs Invasion, Vietnam War, and the Watergate

4、 scandalSome prerequisite condition is stimulation to generate group think. In other word, not every group decision making will be influence by group think. Situational factors need to be taken account to the produce process of group think. For instance, the lack of the regulatory ruleWhatisGroupthi

5、nk,atermcoinedbysocialpsychologistIrvingJanis(1972),occurswhenagroupmakesf aultydecisionsbecausegrouppressuresleadtoadeteriorationof“mentalefficiency,realitytesti ng,andmoraljudgment”(p.9). Groupsaffectedbygroupthinkignorealternativesandtendtota keirrationalactionsthatdehumanizeothergroups. Agroupis

6、especiallyvulnerabletogroupthin k when its members are similar in background, when the group is insulated from outside opinions, and when there are no clear rules for decision making.SymptomsofJanishas edeightsymptomsofIllusionofinvulnerabilityCreatesexcessiveoptimismthatencouragestakingextremerisks

7、. CollectiverationalizationMembersdiscountwarningsanddonotreconsidertheir assumptions.BeliefininherentmoralityMembersbelieveintherightnessoftheircauseandthereforeignore the ethical or moral consequences of their decisions.Stereotypedviewsofout-groupsNegativeviewsof“enemy”makeeffectiveresponsestoseem

8、unnecessary. DirectpressureondissentersMembersareunderpressurenottoexpressargumentsagainstyofthegroupsSelf-censorshipDoubtsanddeviationsfromtheperceivedgroupconsensusarenotexpressed. IllusionofunanimityThemajorityviewandjudgmentsareassumedtobeunanimous. Self-appointedmindguardsMembersprotectthegroup

9、andtheleaderfrominformationisproblematicorcontradictorytothegroupscohesiveness,view,and/orWhentheabovesymptomsexistinagroupthatistryingtomakeadecision,thereisareasonabl e chance that groupthink will happen, although it is not necessarily so. Groupthink occurs when groupsarehighlycohesiveandwhentheya

10、reunderconsiderablepressuretomakeaqualitydeci sion. Whenpressuresforunanimityseemoverwhelming,membersarelessmotivatedtorealistic allyappraisethealternativecoursesofactionavailabletothem. Thesegrouppressuresleadtoc arelessnessandirrationalthinkingsincegroupsexperiencinggroupthinkfailtoconsiderallalte

11、rn ativesandseektomaintainunanimity. Decisionsshdbygroupthinkhavelowprobabilityofa chieving successfulExamplesofGroupthink:PastandExamples of groupthink “fiascoes” studied byJanis include US failures to anticipate the attack on PearlHarbor,theBayofPigsinvasion,theescalationofVietnamwar,andtheill-fat

12、edhostageres cue in Iran. Current examplesofgroupthink canbefound inthedecisionsofthe Bushadministra tion andCongresstopursue aninvasionofIraqbased onapolicyof“preemptive useofmilitaryf orceagainstterroristsandroguenations”. Thedecision torushtowarinIraqbeforeabroad-bas ed coalition of allies could

13、be built has placed the US inan unenviablemilitary situation in Iraqth atiscostlyintermsofmilitarydeathsandcasualties,diplomaticstandingintheworld,andecono GroupthinkandtheNewsKnowledge is power and we as citizens and as a nation areinglesspowerful. Wefaceana dministrationthatbelievesinoperatingunde

14、rhighlevelsofsecrecy. TheAmericanpress,especia llythe evisionnewsmedia,hasletdowntheAmericanpeopleandtheAmericanpeoplehavea llowed thistohappen. US evision newsisgeared moretoward providingentertainment thani nformation. WhenonecomparesthenewsAmericansreceivedaboutthe“waronterrorism” a nd“warinIraq”

15、withthenewscitizensofothercountriesreceived,itiseasytoseewhymanyAm ericans were eager to launch an attack on Saddam Hussein while most of the world thought this wasnotagoodidea. ThemajornewsnetworkseagerlyvoicedalmostexclusivelytheBushadmin istrations(questionable)justificationsfortheattack onIraqan

16、dignoredthevoicesofmillionsw ho knew that other ways of addressing the issues were still possible. Furthermore, therapidpaceof ,MSNBC,andFoxNewsopinionprogramsmakesitdifficultforviewerstoproc essinformationinanydepth. Americansneedapressthatservesasadevilsadvocatetoallevi ate the ongoing groupthink

17、concerning the war on terrorism and the invasion of Iraq.ReviewthefollowingconsequencesofgroupthinkandconsiderhowmanyofthemapplytotheB ushadministrationshandlingofthewaronterrorismandtheissuesrelatedtoIraqandSadda m Hussein:pletesurveyofpletesurveyoffailuretoexaminerisksofpreferredfailuretoreapprais

18、einitiallyrejectedpoorinformationselectivebiasinprocessinginformationatfailuretoworkoutcontingencylowprobabilityofRemediesfDecisionexpertshavedeterminedthatgroupthinkmaybepreventedbyadoptingsomeofthefol lowing measures:TheleadershouldassigntheroleofcriticalevaluatortoeaTheleadershouldavoidstatingpre

19、ferencesandexpectationsattheEaemberofthegroupshouldroutinelydiscussthegroupsdeliberationswithatrusted associate and report back to the group on the associates reactionsOneormoreexpertsshouldbeinvitedtoeaeetingonastaggeredbasis. Theoutsidee xperts should be encouraged to challenge views of the members.Atleastonearticulateandknowledgeablemembershouldbegiventheroleofdevilsadvoc ate (to question assumptions and plans)Theleadershouldmakesurethatasizeableblockoftimeissetasidetosurveywarningsign als from rivals; leader and group construct alter