Final answer:
Groupthink describes the phenomenon where team members prioritize agreement and cohesion over critical thinking, leading to poor decision-making. Symptoms of groupthink include the impression of group invulnerability, moral correctness, self-censorship, and an illusion of unanimity. Strategies to avoid groupthink include seeking external opinions, holding secret ballots, and the leader withholding their opinion until all members have spoken.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phenomenon of faulty decision-making processes by team members who are overly eager to agree with one another is known as groupthink. This occurs when the desire for group consensus overrides people's common sense desire to present alternatives, criticize a position, or express an unpopular opinion. Here, group members modify their opinions to align with what they perceive as the group consensus, often leading to poor decision making.
Groupthink is characterized by several symptoms, including the belief in the invulnerability of the group, an unquestioned belief in the group's morality, self-censorship, and the illusion of unanimity. It is a form of cognitive bias where individuals prioritize group cohesion over critical analysis.
To prevent groupthink, measures such as seeking outside opinions, private voting, and holding off on positions statements by leaders can be effective. By ensuring that all members of the group have voiced their opinions and that a diverse set of viewpoints is considered, the likelihood of groupthink can be significantly reduced.
Another related concept is group polarization, wherein the group's existing viewpoints get amplified post-discussion, leading to more extreme decisions. Understanding both groupthink and group polarization is critical to achieving better decision-making outcomes in group settings.