Final answer:
The term 'groupthink' describes the focus on a narrow set of ideas in group decisions due to immediate feedback, often leading to the suppression of dissent and poor decisions. Strategies to combat groupthink include private voting and seeking outside opinions. Group polarization also plays a role in magnifying the group's initial attitude toward an issue.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Group Decisions process loss that occurs when participants focus the discussion on a reduced set of ideas because of the potential for immediate feedback is known as groupthink. Groupthink can cause significant drawbacks in decision-making processes, leading to a situation where dissenting opinions are suppressed, and the group ends up making decisions that are more extreme or less effective than what individual members would make independently.
To avoid groupthink, strategies such as seeking outside opinions, voting in private, and having leaders withhold their position statements can be implemented. Another related phenomenon is group polarization, where the group's initial stance on an issue becomes more extreme following discussion. Additionally, social loafing may occur where individuals exert less effort due to the lack of identifiable individual performance, often resulting in poorer group performance on undemanding tasks.