Define groupthink, and identify factors that contribute to the phenomenon as well as strategies for preventing it
What will be an ideal response?
Groupthink is the tendency to prioritize agreement among group members over the
motivation to get accurate information and make appropriate decisions. In Janis's
model, there are three primary antecedents to groupthink: (1) group cohesiveness, (2)
group structure (e.g., unsystematic procedures, isolation, etc.), and (3) stressful
situations. It should be noted, however, that recent work indicates that high
cohesiveness may not by itself encourage groupthink. Rather, high cohesiveness in
conjunction with other conditions conducive to groupthink can encourage this tendency.
Janis has offered several strategies for preventing groupthink, including consulting with
outsiders, having leaders encourage open debate and refrain from taking a strong
position, assigning an individual in the group the role of challenging the group's ideas,
and meeting for a second time after a decision has been reached before implementing
a chosen action. Recent research suggests some additional strategies, including holding
members of the group personally accountable for the decision, having a member of the
group assigned the role of "reminder," having leaders encourage information seeking
and independent thinking and discourage seeking agreement, and using computerized
group support systems.
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a. immediately. b. two days to five days later. c. one to two weeks later. d. six months to one year later.
Research on animistic thinking shows that
a. young children attribute animism to nearly every object they find. b. Piaget was right, that animism pervades the thinking of preschoolers. c. animism is less common in preschoolers' minds than Piaget claimed. d. preschoolers often perceive animism in stationary objects.
A formula is an example of a(n) ______
a. heuristic c. response set b. logarithm d. algorithm
Normal activities, such as bathing and eating, are referred to by scientists as
a. day-to-day behaviors b. general actions c. daily actions d. daily behaviors e. activities of daily living