Irving janis introduced the theory of groupthink in his classic study victims of. The model was created looking at historical case studies of presumably poor decision making processes, resulting in disasters. Janis chose the term groupthink because of its frankly orwellian connotation, similar to doublethink and crimethink. Groupthink and ingroup behavior free management ebooks. In an unprecedented way, janis applied ideas from smallgroup analysis to the explana tion of policy fiascoes. Janis and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. This paper advances an explanation for decision fiascoes that reflects recent theoretical trends and was developed in response to a growing body of research that has failed to. In educational settings, managers and administrators have to be wary of groupthink, which is a situation that occurs when team members are too eager to go along with ideas and proposals. Janis 1983 then investigated if the groupthink model could apply to the decision making. A psychological study of foreign policy decisions and fiascoes by irving l.
A psychological study of foreignpolicy decisions and fiascoes 1972 and groupthink 1982. Avoiding groupthink means that everybody should be free to express an. Adapted by permission of the free press, a division of macmillan, inc. Groupthink according to irving janis 1982 is a deterioration of mental efficiency. According to janis, groupthink stands for an excessive form of concurrence.
The first symptom occurs when the group develops a false sense of imperviousness which then leads to more risky decision making. War ii janis, 1982, the kennedy administrations decision making during the cuban missile crisis janis, 1982, and the success of a variety of other american foreign policy decisions herek, janis, and huth 1987. This view of groupthink as an undesirable phenomenon continues to be evidenced in janis s most recent work. Oct 26, 2011 groupthink by irving lester janis, irving l.
Lisrel analysis, however, revealed less support for janiss 1982 causal model of groupthink. Janis originally defined groupthink as a mode of thinking that people engage. Groupthink tends to occur when a group strive to reach consensus despite organisational flaws, combined with a high degree of homogeneity of members social background and ideology. Groupthink is an occurrence where by a group comes to a unanimous decision about a possible action despite the existence of fact that points to another correct course of action. I use the term groupthink as a quick and easy way to refer to the mode of thinking that persons engage in when concurrenceseeking becomes so dominant in a cohesive ingroup that it tends to override realistic appraisal of alternative courses in action. Diverse perspectives on the groupthink theory a literary. Psychological studies of policy decisions and fiascoes by irving l. Janis author see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. In 1967 janis was awarded the sociopsychological prize by the american association for the advancement of science. Janis wrote or cowrote more than a dozen books, including psychological stress 1958, victims of groupthink 1972, decision making 1977, groupthink 1982, and crucial decisions 1989. Methodological and theoretical problems with janis.
Janis 1972 identified eight symptoms that can lead to groupthink see table 1. Janis was a research psychologist at yale university and a professor emeritus at the university of california, berkeley most famous for his theory of groupthink which described the systematic errors made by groups when taking collective decisions. In 1967 janis was awarded the sociopsychological prize by the. A danger to the effectiveness of autonomous work groups is the potential for groupthink. Groupthink is a mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive ingroup when the members strivings for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action and a deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgement that results from ingroup pressure janis, 1982, p. Psychological studies of policy decisions and fiascoes, 2 nd ed. A psychological study of foreignpolicy decisions and fiascoes.
Groupthink psychological studies of policy decisions and fiascos. Groupthink the psychological drive for consensus at any cost that suppresses disagreement and prevents the appraisal of alternatives in cohesive decisionmaking groups. The introduction of a work system based on autonomous work groups is one such strategy. Interpersonal relations and group processes assessing.
A quarter ofa century ago, irving janis proposed a theory to help answer at least some of these questions. In an unprecedented way, janis applied ideas from smallgroup analysis to the explana. Groupthink is 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 decisionmaking outcome. Through a series of indepth case studies of histori. Groupthink principles and fundamentals in organizations. J anis s classicformulation j anis, l972,1982 as well as his. Effects of promotional leadership and conformity predisposition 2001 social behavior and personality.
Groupthink is a term first used in 1972 by social psychologist irving l. Janis published an influential book in 1972, which was revised in 1982. The methodology of janiss groupthink model has been largely criticised. Apr 18, 2020 groupthink is a term first used in 1972 by social psychologist irving l.
Groupthink irving janis coined the term groupthink, which happens when ingroup pressures lead to a deterioration in mental efficiency, poor tasting of reality, and lax moral judgment janis, 1982. Although janis groupthink theory was based on historical case studies and not empirical evidence it quickly found mass appeal. Groupthink is a term first used by irving janis in 1972. Groupthink irving janis, 1972, 1982 exam2 communication. Janis victims of groupthink find, read and cite all the research you. Psychological studies of policy decisions and fiascoes irving lester janis snippet view 1982. Articles warning of the dangers of groupthink and suggesting remedies appeared in management, psychology, and sociology periodicals. Janis 1982 wrote that the invidiousness is intentional p. Janis defined groupthink as a phenomenon where people seek unanimous agreement in spite of contrary facts pointing to another conclusion. Psychological studies of policy decisions and fiascoes. Victims of groupthink paperback january 1, 1982 by irving l.
Organizations under stress may engage in a problematic emotional management process that interferes with the exercise of good cognitive skills, known as groupthink. Irving lester janis developed a study on decision making based on human social behavior in which maintaining group cohesiveness and solidarity is felt more important than considering the facts in a realistic manner. This is one of the key characteristics of groupthink. How to recognize groupthink and how to prevent it groupthink is a problem that many teachers organizations have to deal with. Lisrel analysis, however, revealed less support for janis s 1982 causal model of groupthink. Evaluating janis groupthink model of faulty decision making. Janis victims of groupthink paul t hart1 introduction victims of groupthink. This view of groupthink as an undesirable phenomenon continues to be evidenced in janiss most recent work.
Janis uses several case studies of what he considers to be groupthinkthe bay of. The social psychologist, janis looked at how groups make decisions, particularly under conditions of stress. Janis irving l 1982 groupthink psychological studies of. Janis, 1982, houghton mifflin edition, in english 2nd ed. Twentyfive years of groupthink theory and research. Janis 1982, 1989 was a strong proponent of the notion that group process and probability of success are powerfully linked. Irving l janis groupthink the psychological drive for consensus at any cost that suppresses disagreement and prevents the appraisal of alternatives in cohesive decisionmaking groups. The groupthink model janis, 1971,1972,1982 is the most.
This paper advances an explanation for decision fiascoes that reflects recent theoretical trends and was developed in response to a growing body of research that has failed to substantiate the groupthink model janis, 1982. In short, groupthink is more likely to occur in times of high stress. He described it as an observable fact that groups tend to ignore or discredit information that does not fit in with the groups ethos and beliefs. Cohesiveness, or the desire for cohesiveness, in a group may produce a tendency among its members to agree at all costs. Ch04 critical thinking exercise this reading relates to learning objective 41 1.
Janis lays out eight prominent symptoms of groupthink in his two works victims of groupthink. In the first edition victims of groupthink, iriving l. Janis 1972, analyzing policy decisions such as the bay of pigs invasion, the cuban missile crisis and the escalation of the vietnam war, identi. In studies of social clubs and other small groups, conformity pressures have frequently been observed.
Groupthink is described and suggested to provide a useful observational behavioral category system for studying autonomous work group decision processes. Groupthink became extremely popular in a wide range of literature. The potential for groupthink in autonomous work groups. Janis felt that such intense cohesion was likely to be found in very high echelon decision groups such as jfks cabinet or nixons inner circle of advisors where the perks of membership are at intoxicating levels and the credibility of fellow members is extremely high. It occurs when the pursuit of agreement among team members becomes so dominant that it overrides any realistic appraisal of alternative courses of action janis, 1972, p. That theory, groupthink, would go on to be one of the most influential in the behavioral sciences. Janis showed how this phenomenon contributed to some of the major u. Study 22 groupthink irving janis, 1972, 1982 exam2 flashcards from amwe g. A psychological study of foreignpolicy decisions and fiascoes janis, irving lester on. Finally, guidelinesfor research to test the propositions of groupthink are proposed. This term was first given by irving janis who was a social psychologist. Groupthink principles and fundamentals in organizations journal. This high stress might come from pressures from outside the group.
What are the fundamental limitations of the janis 1982 experimental studies. Levine, solomon aschs legacy for group research, journal of personality and social psychology 3, no. The boxes on the left lay out the preconditions for a concurrenceseeking tendency to. Groupthink is the process described by janis when a group follows a certain set of patterns that result in disastrous consequences. The bottom line is that the first three incidents were examples of groupthink, the last two were able to avoid this problem. It tends to occur in highly cohesive groups in which the group. Irving janis, victims of groupthink, houghton mifflin. Pdf on aug 28, 2015, martin nwadiugwu and others published groupthink find, read and cite all the research you need. Pdf on jun 1, 1991, pault hart and others published irving l. Janis that refers to a psychological phenomenon in which people strive for consensus within a group. Janis, an american research psychologist and professor at the university of california. Why is groupthink detrimental to effective decision making. Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the.
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