When is it Groupthink?

[maiforpeace]

I'm trying to understand when is it exactly groupthink...in recent discussion it's been suggested that a group of posters that have shared an opinion are engaging in group think. Maybe because I'm a part of that "group" I'm not seeing it, but, I'm not.

What's your definition of groupthink?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

When nobody is willing to question the operational paradigm.

[klr]

Hmm ... I've never really thought about that myself. Here's one definition:

http://www.abacon.com/commstudies/group ... think.html

... if that means we groupthink too much from time to time, then we would be in good company with the rest of the internet.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Vietnam, Johnson White House.

[Thinking Aloud]

It's whenever more than one person disagrees with what I want.

[Atheist-Lite]

Google encourages groupthink.

[Hermit]

Hmm ... I've never really thought about that myself. Here's one definition:

http://www.abacon.com/commstudies/group ... think.html

Wow. I have not seen a web page as bad as this in a long time.

Why not go with the original (1972) definition of groupthink? "A mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group, when the members' strivings for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action."

Google encourages groupthink.

Yeah, Sure. Inevitable, really. Information at your fingertips always does that.

[Atheist-Lite]

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012 ... act_lehrer


Keith Sawyer, a psychologist at Washington University, has summarized the science: “Decades of research have consistently shown that brainstorming groups think of far fewer ideas than the same number of people who work alone and later pool their ideas.”

[Svartalf]

Hmm ... I've never really thought about that myself. Here's one definition:

http://www.abacon.com/commstudies/group ... think.html

Wow. I have not seen a web page as bad as this in a long time.

Why not go with the original (1972) definition of groupthink? "A mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group, when the members' strivings for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action."

Google encourages groupthink.

Yeah, Sure. Inevitable, really. Information at your fingertips always does that.

Given that this information is organized by order of general popularity, and that most people will not consult several dozen sites to make sure they have the full monty on the matter... in a way, it does.

[Bella Fortuna]

Hmm ... I've never really thought about that myself.

I think we should all think about this together.

[maiforpeace]

Hmm ... I've never really thought about that myself.

I think we should all think about this together.

Did I hear you say, I think we should all think about this together?

Good idea.

[Bella Fortuna]

Hmm ... I've never really thought about that myself.

I think we should all think about this together.

Did I hear you say, I think we should all think about this together?

Good idea.

If you agree with me it must be the dreaded groupthink bogeyman!

[maiforpeace]

Hmm ... I've never really thought about that myself.

I think we should all think about this together.

Did I hear you say, I think we should all think about this together?

Good idea.

If you agree with me it must be the dreaded groupthink bogeyman!

Well, then, I don't agree.

[Bella Fortuna]

I agree with your disagreement.

[Hermit]

Google encourages groupthink.

Yeah, Sure. Inevitable, really. Information at your fingertips always does that.

Given that this information is organized by order of general popularity, and that most people will not consult several dozen sites to make sure they have the full monty on the matter... in a way, it does.

Yeah, right. Better not google then. Lack of information is less conducive to the formation of groupthink than some information. Makes sense. People always unthinkingly accept the first, most popular page they read.