groupthink

I'll never forget a class I took in college. Dr. Conrad, Tues/Thursday morning.

One of the things we talked about in class was a concept called "groupthink". I've never forgotten it, but had not thought of it in years.

In the last few months I've dusted the cobwebs off of it, for it seems to be alive and well. It's alive, I think, in American society and also within Churchianity.

I'm not much of a list person, lists have grown to grate against me, but I found this quite interesting above that grating.

Bear in mind, also, groupthink is a term developed in corporate America, so it's not saying it's a 'perfect fit' in every respect to the Body. In a general sense it does cause the eyebrows to raise...

GROUPTHINK

conditions leading to groupthink:

• low hope of a better solution than the one offered by the leader(s)

• high group cohesiveness

• the persuasive strength of the group's leader


symptoms of groupthink:

• illusion of invulnerability

• unquestioned belief in the inherent morality of the group

• collective rationalization of group's decisions

• shared stereotypes of outgroup, particularly opponents

• self-censorship; members withhold criticisms

• illusion of unanimity (false consensus)

• direct pressure on dissenters to conform

• self-appointed "mindguards" protect the group from negative information