groupthink
Harmony over truth
Groupthink is the tendency of cohesive groups to reach consensus without critically examining alternatives or dissenting views.
The desire for harmony overrides realistic appraisal of options: The board's groupthink led them to ignore obvious warning signs.
The term emerged from studies of foreign policy disasters where advisers suppressed doubts to maintain unity.
Self-reinforcing information environment
- self-censorshipRestraining one's own expression
- confirmation biasPreferring belief-supporting information
- cognitive biasSystematic deviation from rationality
- polarizationSeparation into opposing extremes
rationalizing · blind spots · overconfidence · tunnel vision · motivated reasoning · anchoring · deindividuation
State of being identical
- homogeneityState of sameness throughout
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- obedienceCompliance with authority
- conformismAdherence to accepted standards
orthodoxy · acquiescence · assimilation · standardization · herd mentality · mob mentality · bandwagon · docility
Humiliating public failure
- blunderFoolish, costly mistake
- miscalculationError in estimation
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- misjudgmentFaulty evaluation of something
Bay of Pigs · Challenger disaster · rubber-stamping · yes-men · devil's advocate · red team
Biased information for influence
- indoctrinationSystematic uncritical belief instillation
- brainwashingCoercive psychological manipulation
- demagogueryManipulative political rhetoric
- fearmongeringDeliberately spreading exaggerated threats
manufactured consent · thought control · persuasion · suggestion · coercion · social engineering · disinformation · gaslighting
General group agreement
- unanimityComplete group agreement
- cohesionTendency to bind together
- solidarityUnity among allies
- tribalismIn-group loyalty, out-group hostility
factionalism · insularity · cliquishness · us-vs-them · closing ranks · siege mentality · loyalty · allegiance
Influence from one's equals
- shamingCausing feelings of disgrace
- ostracismBanishment from a group
- ridiculeContemptuous mocking treatment
- silencingStopping noise or dissent
shunning · exclusion · intimidation · coercion · bullying · cancellation · disapproval · criticism
echo chamber
Self-reinforcing information environment
- self-censorshipRestraining one's own expression
- confirmation biasPreferring belief-supporting information
- cognitive biasSystematic deviation from rationality
polarization · rationalizing · blind spots · overconfidence · tunnel vision · motivated reasoning · anchoring · deindividuation
uniformity
State of being identical
- homogeneityState of sameness throughout
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- obedienceCompliance with authority
conformism · orthodoxy · acquiescence · assimilation · standardization · herd mentality · mob mentality · bandwagon · docility · conventionality
fiasco
Humiliating public failure
- blunderFoolish, costly mistake
- miscalculationError in estimation
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
misjudgment · Bay of Pigs · Challenger disaster · rubber-stamping · yes-men · devil's advocate · red team
propaganda
Biased information for influence
- indoctrinationSystematic uncritical belief instillation
- brainwashingCoercive psychological manipulation
- demagogueryManipulative political rhetoric
fearmongering · manufactured consent · thought control · persuasion · suggestion · coercion · social engineering · disinformation · gaslighting · narrative control
consensus
General group agreement
- unanimityComplete group agreement
- cohesionTendency to bind together
- solidarityUnity among allies
tribalism · factionalism · insularity · cliquishness · us-vs-them · closing ranks · siege mentality · loyalty · allegiance · belonging
peer pressure
Influence from one's equals
- shamingCausing feelings of disgrace
- ostracismBanishment from a group
- ridiculeContemptuous mocking treatment
silencing · shunning · exclusion · intimidation · coercion · bullying · cancellation · disapproval · criticism · loyalty tests
- cultsbrainwashing, mind control, Scientology, Jonestown, Jim Jones
- Dystopia1984, Nineteen Eighty-Four, dystopian fiction, totalitarianism, Brave New World
- conformityconformity, conforming, conform, conformist, conformism
- human flawsmistake, error, flaw, fault, failing
- human follyhubris, pride, vanity, greed, arrogance
- influenceinfluence, persuasion, sway, clout, leverage
groupthinknonconformity
Rejection of prevailing norms
critical thinking · freethinking · contrarianism · dissent · self-reliance
groupthinkcritical thinking
Objective evaluation of information
critical analysis · skepticism · analytical thinking · questioning · intellectual rigor
groupthinkopen debate
Unrestricted public discourse
pluralism · red teaming · cognitive diversity · minority opinion · loyal opposition