Question

Tom is critical of the decisions made on his work team, and the team supports his behaviour by calling him 'the team cynic'; some managers outside the team have suggested tom should be replaced by someone who is more cooperative with the team. tom's behaviour contributes to the______group's decision-making.

a) positively
b) morality
c) corporate social responsibility
d) groupthink
e) groupshift

Answer 1

Tom's critical behavior suggests his work team may be experiencing groupthink, which aligns individual opinions with perceived group consensus and can lead to poor decisions. Strategies to prevent groupthink include seeking diverse opinions and private voting.

Step-by-step explanation:

Tom's behavior contributes to the groupthink in the group's decision-making process. Groupthink is when the members of a group conform their opinions to match what they believe is the consensus of the group, often at the expense of critical thinking, which can lead to poor decision-making. Additionally, there's a phenomenon known as group polarization, where discussions within a group tend to intensify the group's prevailing attitudes, making decisions more extreme than any individual member would likely make alone. To avoid groupthink, it's crucial to encourage diverse opinions, have private voting, and withhold the group leader's opinion until all members have shared their thoughts, as these practices help maintain critical thinking and avert the pressure to conform.