Final answer:
Groupthink is the phenomenon where individuals modify their opinions to align with what they believe is the group consensus. It can be avoided by employing strategies such as seeking outside opinions and developing a contingency plan. Heuristics are mental shortcuts used to solve complex problems efficiently.
Step-by-step explanation:
Groupthink is the phenomenon where individuals modify their opinions to align with what they believe is the group consensus. It occurs in group settings due to normative and informational social influence. The symptoms of groupthink include perceiving the group as invincible, self-censorship, and consensus.
To avoid groupthink, strategies such as seeking outside opinions, voting in private, withholding position statements until all members have voiced their views, conducting research on all viewpoints, and developing a contingency plan can be employed.
Using heuristics, which are mental shortcuts, can help in solving complex problems efficiently but they are not always the best method for making rational decisions.