In an era where it’s more common to follow the crowd than not, groupthink has become the accepted norm. It’s far more shocking for someone to stand outside of the mainstream than it is for them to simply conform to it. And yet, we live in a society that promotes individuality and competition.
Even before technology made it easier for people to consume and absorb trending topics, people have always had a tendency to “follow the leader”. The problem with that is that leadership doesn’t always come from people who are fair or just.
Leadership more often than not comes from egotistical, self-gratifying people who put their needs and wants above all others. This is evident throughout history where men have, and still are, sacrificing entire populations of people, wildlife, and environments for their own benefit.
Before patriarchy became the dominant ruling force, matriarchy was the primary way of life for most ancient cultures. Both men and women understood the importance of balance for the good of all, and neither were threatened by the other. Instead, in perfect compliment, women were deemed to be the leaders. These leaders respected the masculine drive and knew the importance of the man’s role within a balanced society, and they would choose a male-spokesperson to serve as the Chief of the tribe. These men were selected strictly off of merit, ensuring that they had a certain level of integrity to be able to hold such a prestigious position.
Fastforward to the current paradigm – people have become so disconnected from themselves that they don’t even know how to think for themselves. We are constantly inundated with information from a variety of sources, from television to social media, billboards to music, and many never stop to think for themselves.
What is Groupthink?
Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon whereby individuals forgo their personal beliefs in order to blend with the crowd and adopt the general consensus instead. The concept was made popular by Yale University Research Psychologist, Irving Janis, in his infamous 1972 study, “Victims of Groupthink: A Psychological Study of Foreign-Policy Decisions and Fiascoes.” The study’s main focus was the psychological drive behind foreign policy decisions that result in violence, war, and destruction.
Janis was curious to determine what made seemingly highly intelligent individuals make poor decisions. He wanted to understand why groups of people would succumb to the pressure to conform over their own discernment. He recognized that there were eight key traits associated with groupthink.
- Illusions of unanimity
This occurs when people don’t speak up and assume the seemingly unanimous option instead. People will rationalize within their own minds why it’s easier to remain silent than to disrupt the status quo. What people also tend to do within this disempowered mindset, is to soothe themselves by believing that there is little to no benefit of diversity. The opposite is true; without diversified thinking, innovation cannot occur.
- Unquestioned beliefs
A belief is simply a thought you keep thinking, yet people tend to think that beliefs are embedded character traits that are unchangeable. The implications can be huge if one is not self-aware. Simply following the leader is not reason enough to do anything, but people are so misaligned within themselves that they never even consider questioning why. The reason why someone does something is a clear indication of their integrity, or lack thereof.
- Rationalization
“Rationalization is a defense mechanism whereby people justify difficult and unacceptable feelings with seemingly logical excuses.” When someone feels the need to rationalize their behaviors, it calls attention to their subconscious beliefs by highlighting their triggers. Defense mechanisms serve to protect one’s ego from discomfort or distress, according to Sigmund Freud.
- Stereotyping
The concept of understanding how and why stereotyping is inherently negative is widely kept, and still, many people are ingrained to carry generic beliefs about entire populations. Evidence shows that these stereotypes begin to take form in early childhood. Research has shown that stereotyping elicits a subtle fear in those who are being prejudged, creating a tendency for them to perform less than typical. For example, a study found that women scored lower when asked what gender they were prior to testing due to fear of gender stereotyping.
- Mindguards
Mindguards come in the form of a person or people who intentionally shield and block other members of the group from vital information that could potentially alert them to another way of doing things. An example is the men who own the media are also the ones who get the final say in what information is distrusted, and when, to the masses. Each respective billionaire serves as a mindguard to the general public by ensuring that we only receive a select portion of the whole picture.
- Illusions of invulnerability
The illusion of invulnerability occurs when most or all the members of the in-group share the illusion of invulnerability that offers them some degree of reassurance regarding the obvious dangers associated with a certain decision. This leads the members of the group to become overly optimistic, causing them to take extreme risks and downplay any potential red-flags.
- Direct pressure
There are two separate groups associated with groupthink: the in-group and the out-group. Members of the in-group are often responsible for directing the consensus of the group by silencing those who challenge or oppose the majority. Out of fear of appearing disloyal, members of the out-group will cower and conform.
What Causes Groupthink?
It’s human nature to seek out connection. We are social Beings that thrive best when we feel supported. So it comes as no surprise that one of the main reasons people succumb to groupthink is to attain a sense of belonging. When an individual feels a bond with a certain group, they are more inclined to conform out of familiarity. In doing so, they place greater value on the in-groups’ perspective than they do on their own.
Leadership is also a huge component of why people give in to groupthink. Charismatic and seemingly powerful leaders sway members to obey without question or push-back. Historically, men have dominated the ranks of those elevated to leadership roles. This had created a huge imbalance because the adopted consensus of most is the masculine energetic principle – action, survival, focus, and power. The feminine energy that we all embody has been shoved down and devalued, leaving no room for the feminine qualities – creativity, intuition, receptivity, and nurturing.
Information channels are another reason that groupthink occurs. The information we are given, along with the omitted facts play a huge role in how we decide to proceed. Again, because of the historic patriarchy, men control all of the channels of information to society. This creates a narrow view of issues based on limited knowledge.
Our entire political system was created by and for men, and as a direct result, it stands on a lopsided foundation that promotes profit over people. This is where groupthink becomes the most dangerous because it doesn’t allow for growth or change. The political structure of the United States discourages innovation and opportunity based on the defined norms that were created by male politicians. Because most of these men subscribe to groupthink, beneficial changes are rarely made.
Why is Groupthink Dangerous?
If it’s not already obvious, natural conformity eliminates individual creativity. If we all did things simply because we were merely following the leader, there would be no expansion or evolution. It takes the personal perspectives of each diverse member of the group to build upon one another to create a solution that truly benefits all, as opposed to a select few.
We give up our power when we refrain from speaking our minds and sharing our opinions. No two people on this planet think the same, no matter how similar they might seem. Like snowflakes, every Human has their own unique perspective. When we try to dilute our originality to blend in, we minimize ourselves.
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
Studies have consistently traced groupthink as the root cause of rational, logical, intelligent people making nonsensical decisions in their personal, academic, and professional lives. Again, the emphasis on masculine superiority is highlighted here because it also diminishes the importance of emotional intelligence. Research proves that emotional intelligence, EQ, promotes self-awareness, empathy, internal motivation, and people skills to name just a few of the characteristics.
A prime example of the potential disaster that groupthink can illicit is the space shuttle, Challenger, which exploded just 73 seconds after liftoff in 1986. Hindsight led to a series of discoveries whereby massive warning signs were blatantly ignored. This also calls into question our own capacity to tune into our “gut signals.” If we can’t trust ourselves, how can we effectively lead another?
How to Avoid Groupthink
It is easy to say that the prescription for groupthink is to step into your truth, but it’s not so easy to apply that tactic. There are a few determined ways to promote individuality within groups, and it should also be encouraged to come up with alternative ways of doing things. Here are a few suggestions on how to avoid groupthink:
- The leader should allow the participants to voice their opinion before they voice their own
- Elect at least one person to play “devil’s advocate”
- Discuss the groups ideas with a neutral source
- Encourage people to be critical and to do their own research.
- Establish metrics or a base level of expectation
- Assign specific roles to members of the group
- Invite people to provide anonymous feedback
Call to Action:
Knowledge is only power if you apply it. Stop and ask yourself, what am I doing to promote synergy among my people? Synergy does not mean conformity – it means productive cooperation in that the end result benefits all.