Recall, from our discussion, that groupthink “occurs when group members reason that they cannot be wrong and reject any argument contrary to their own—rejecting criticism from internal members and criticism from people in out-groups” (Janis and Mann, 1977).
Furthermore, Janis and Mann identified 8 symptoms of groupthink:
- An illusion of invulnerability
- Collective efforts to rationalize
- Unquestioned belief in the group’s inherent morality
- Stereotyped views of rivals and enemies
- Direct pressure on a member who expresses arguments against any of the group’s stereotypes, illusions, or commitments
- Self-censorship of deviations from apparent group consensus
- A shared illusion of unanimity
- The emergence of self-appointed “mind guards” (p.131)
Select 1 of the following real-world occurrences of groupthink (or identify another real-world factual event of your choosing):
- Bay of Pigs
- Pearl Harbor bombing
- Space Shuttle Challenger explosion
- Salem witch trials
- Switch to New Coke
Create a 10- to 12-slide Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation with detailed speaker notes about your chosen event.
Include the following:
- Identify and describe your selected event. Include the date(s) involved, geographic location, and major players in the decision.
- Explain how groupthink worked in this situation. Relate your explanation to a minimum of 2 of the symptoms of groupthink.
- Discuss the impact of groupthink on the outcome of the situation.
- Discuss the role of authority influence in the situation.
- Explain 2 actions that may have countered the groupthink and authority influence that led to the outcome of the event.
Cite at least 3 sources in your presentation.
Include pictures and/or graphics in your PowerPoint presentation.
Detailed speaker notes are required.
