examples of groupthink in healthcareexamples of groupthink in healthcare

ObamaCare is an Example of Groupthink Gone Wrong original article written by Net Advisor WASHINGTON, DC. doi: 10.5694/mja2.50881. Dan spoke from the perspective of the patient, who may not have the time or interest to carefully look through the audit. Clipboard, Search History, and several other advanced features are temporarily unavailable. The negative effects of these faulty decisions eventually began to accumulate and eventually led to the collapse of the company. This can contribute to inefficient decision making as ideas and thoughts go unchallenged in favour of cohesion. Groupthink thrives on conformity and stems from low confidence and trust levels. Groupthink can also . And yes, there are people who genuinely deserve cancellation, but many people are innocent victims. Media accounts of the noncompliant groups suggest that the conditions that often cause groupthinksuch as high levels of cohesion and isolation, stress, strong conformity pressures, and directive but misinformed leadershipwere all in evidence as these groups grew in influence and intensity. Some people have classified this event as an example of groupthink. Why does groupthink occur? These groups are tasked with developing consensus around new ideas, such as procedures, policies, products, or services. For example, research shows that groups with seven or more members are more susceptible to confirmation bias. Let us consider an example in a business setting. Give an example of the following characteristics of bureaucracy: (1) system of rules . Victims of cancel culture are convicted without trial and may have their careers, lives, and families destroyed. Dr. Donelson Forsyth holds the Colonel Leo K. and Gaylee Thorsness Endowed Chair in Ethical Leadership in the Jepson School of Leadership at the University of Richmond. What is groupthink? The film centers on a group of girls who come together to bully and ostracize another girl. New research co-authored by Berkeley Haas Asst. Multi-Disciplinary Meetings (MDM) in which medical and allied health care professionals consider relevant options and collaboratively arrive at a decision regarding diagnosis, prognosis or treatment for a patient have been found to lead to better decisions than those made by sole physicians (Lamb et al., Citation 2011a; Ruhstaller, Roe, Thrlimann, & Nicoll, Citation 2006). This is essentially a member who argues against the groups accepted opinion. A number of factors can influence this psychological phenomenon. A mythical experiment is often used to illustrate groupthink - 5 hungry monkeys in a cage attack any monkey in the cage who tries to grab a banana - an experimental punishment dished out to the whole group when the bananas are touched. All it takes is one accusation, and an unthinking lynch mob will descend on you. A primary threat to group effectiveness is groupthink. For example, one group we studied had the following conversation about whether patients should be able to see who had accessed their electronic health record: Daniel: The standard way to build transparency is that the technology can and does provide that auditing and that audit should itself be available to the patient whose information has been disclosed. A good example of this is Mensa. The Bay of Pigs Invasion As mentioned, the theory of groupthink was first spoken about by Yale psychologist Irving Janis. Despite all evidence to the contrary, the American auto industry stubbornly clung to this belief, only changing their views after losing significant market share to Japanese car manufacturers. The absolute proof that America's collective groupthink problem poses a danger has unfortunately emerged from the right side of the aisle. Groupthink occurs when a group makes faulty or ineffective decisions for the sake of reaching a consensus. Similarly, not all cases of groupthink result in failures or fiascoes to use Janis wording. 11 Examples of Groupthink. Groupthink is a suspension of critical thinking that often occurs in groups of people. Not only was Kony 2012 a stunning example of the theory of groupthink in action, but it also shows how easily social networks can manipulate the public. You are free to use this image on your . Another real-life scenario of groupthink discussed by Janis is the bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1941. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Assign a devils advocate. Its been found that members with better jobs and education have a great amount of influence over lesser members and can persuade them to change their verdict. Thus, they failed to prepare for the bombing of Pearl Harbour, which claimed many lives. The review includes case studies, experimental studies, literature reviews, example applications, and proposed modifications to the groupthink theory. Groupthink occurs when individuals in cohesive groups fail to consider alternative perspectives because they are motivated to reach a consensus which typically results in making less than desirable decisions. In each instance, factors such as pressure to conform, closed-mindedness, feelings of invulnerability, and the illusion of group unanimity contribute to poor decisions and often devastating outcomes. Three research-backed strategies to keep innovative ideas flowing. Osborne SR, Alston LV, Bolton KA, Whelan J, Reeve E, Wong Shee A, Browne J, Walker T, Versace VL, Allender S, Nichols M, Backholer K, Goodwin N, Lewis S, Dalton H, Prael G, Curtin M, Brooks R, Verdon S, Crockett J, Hodgins G, Walsh S, Lyle DM, Thompson SC, Browne LJ, Knight S, Pit SW, Jones M, Gillam MH, Leach MJ, Gonzalez-Chica DA, Muyambi K, Eshetie T, Tran K, May E, Lieschke G, Parker V, Smith A, Hayes C, Dunlop AJ, Rajappa H, White R, Oakley P, Holliday S. Med J Aust. a group of intelligent people working together to solve a problem can sometimes arrive at the worst possible answer., Well, thats the way weve always done it., Well, I was hazed, bullied, and sabotaged as a new nurse and now its my turn to get some payback; why should these new nurses get off easy?. Therefore, groupthink prioritizes group harmony over independent judgment and might rationalize immoral actions. and transmitted securely. Although groupthink often leads to bad (even unethical) decisions, group leaders should try avoid groupthink by creating diverse and inclusive groups, enabling members to voice their views without fear, and considering opposing views seriously. Groupthink involves the decision-making process. Why would they risk war with a much stronger enemy? In many cases, people end up engaging in groupthink when they fear that their objections might disrupt the harmony of the group or suspect that their ideas might cause other members to reject them. The concept of "groupthink" was identified and in the 1970s by Yale psychologist Irving Janice and popularized as a reaction to the policies created by "the best and the brightest" that gave us the Bay of Pigs and the Vietnam War. (1982). One well-known example of groupthink is the Bay of Pigs invasion, in which a group of advisors to President John F. Kennedy recommended that the United States invade Cuba in an effort to overthrow Fidel Castro. When Ken uttered the word onerous it changed the direction of the conversation, because it attacked the usefulness of the status quo. Isolated from dissenting opinions, they thought of themselves as invincible. An official website of the United States government. Daniel: It sounds like we have broad agreement about some of these elements. R Soc Open Sci. The J. F. Kennedy administration launched the attack by accepting negative stereotypes about the Cubans and Fidel Castros incompetence (Janis, 1972). Groupthink. There were dozens of reasons why (the biggest being accounting irregularities), but another answer was groupthink. Gatekeeping. sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal This shows an incredible failure of critical thinking and decision-making. Groupthink is a widely utilized theory in social psychology, organizational theory, group decision-making sciences, and management fields. Groupthink, a term coined by Irving Janis to depict premature consensus seeking in highly cohesive groups, is a theory that has been widely discussed in disciplines outside health care. In the above conversation, Daniel acknowledged the team had broad agreement about some of these elements, while Dan notes that the group was at a good starting point. Celebrating moments of progress has been shown to help teams build morale and forward momentum to take on difficult and challenging tasks. Gatekeeping is the process of filtering messages. (E.g., Others used it before and it worked then, so its not our fault that it didnt work now.). This is a root media process that can suffer from biases. Maddox and U.S.S.C. Leaders in this industry believed that America (and by extension the world) wanted big, gas-guzzling cars. On Dec. 4, 2016, Edgar Maddison Welch of Salisbury, N.C . The country may eventually begin to think as a collective whole that they are more powerful than they are and may make a fatal mistake like going to war with a larger and more powerful nation. Japanese messages had been intercepted. Groupthink, a term coined by Irving Janis to depict premature consensus seeking in highly cohesive groups, is a theory that has been widely discussed in disciplines outside health care.. This book also demonstrates that the likelihood of groupthink greatly increases when you remove outside influences. You also want your team to succeed. This caused widespread devastation and financial ruin for many people. Recommending a new national protocol required embracing tectonic change with tremendous risk. Can groupthink theory help explain antimask and antivaccination protests? Give people time to come up with their own ideas first. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author and educational consultant focused on helping students learn about psychology. In fact, it was actually the first video in the history of YouTube to break one million views. Authors Karissa DiPierro 1 , Hannah Lee 2 , Kevin J Pain 3 , Steven J Durning 4 , Justin J Choi 2 Affiliations 1 Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA. Copyright 2023 Helpful Professor. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. https://helpfulprofessor.com/groupthink-examples/, The illusion that a group is invulnerable, fully competent, and coherent. Familiarity with negative consequences of potential group conformity biases Indeed, previous research has challenged Janis model. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan. Highly cohesive and/or non-diverse groups, An influential leader who feels infallible and suppresses dissenting information, Decision-making under stress or time constraints, Non-consideration of outside perspectives, Efforts to maintain/boost group members self-confidence. And Ryan interpreted the audit system not allowing for patient control as onerous. Establish metrics or definitions to make sure that everyone is basing decisions or judgments on the same information. And yet, they did not block the launch because of public pressure to proceed. Mallidou AA, Frisch N, Doyle-Waters MM, MacLeod MLP, Ward J, Atherton P. Syst Rev. An often cited example of group think is the Challenger disaster. It marks a deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment that results from ingroup pressures (Janis, 1972, p. 9). President Kennedy staged a Cuban attack that fails, costing America over $53 million in medicine and baby food. The Salem Witch Trials This historical event provides an excellent groupthink definition and explanation. 'Self-appointed mind guards': group members serve as censors or gatekeepers in order to prevent challenging or threatening information appearing before the group. Outright rejection of single-payer and related solutions also stymies creative approaches to our current situation, not to mention the denial of climate change, a true public health crisis of unprecedented proportions. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. In 2003, a multi-country coalition chose to invade Iraq and topple Saddam Hussein. Your email address will not be published. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the In some cases, scholars have found that being in a cohesive group can be effective; it can boost members self-esteem and speed up decision-making (Fuller & Aldag, 1998). In reality, it was the exact opposite. According to Janis, the key characteristics of groupthink are: In the 1980s, NASA earlier debuted a space shuttle program that would be accessible to the public. It would reformulate its product and release it as New Coke.. The company hotline received more than 1,500 calls per day. One of the features of groupthink is that such groups often have exaggerated beliefs in their abilities. 2018 Jul 19;7(1):101. doi: 10.1186/s13643-018-0762-1. Here are some more ideas that might help prevent groupthink. The term groupthink has been in popular usage since the 1970s, and its applicability to the multibillion-dollar 21st-century healthcare industry could not be more salient than it is today when we need more creative solutions to vexing problems than ever before. Group dynamics such as groupthink can occur. Embrace conflict dont quell it in the interest of harmony. Of these people, 20 were later executed. For example, he explained to students that the eventual aim of the movement was to eliminate democracy. Accompanying this was a series of exercises and rules which students had to follow. Here, the desire for group cohesion effectively drives out good decision-making and problem solving. These include: It is important to note that while groupthink and conformity are similar and related concepts, there are important distinctions between the two. Engineers of the space shuttle repeatedly voiced concerns about the safety of the Challenger. In 'Groupthink', the members feel they have arrived at a decision which is in the best interest of all, which in reality is not. Medical, military, or political decisions, for example, can lead to unfortunate outcomes when they are impaired by the effects of groupthink. APA Journals Article Spotlight is a free summary of recently published articles in an APA Journal. Whats more, they also believe that their actions are morally justified and are actually a good thing. Here are a few of the symptoms of groupthink: Self-censorship: Individuals in a team will remain quiet about views that are contrary to the ideas and decisions the group has decided on. Eight databases were systematically searched for articles focusing on groupthink among health professional teams using a scoping review methodology. Within nursing, when a staff nurse questions a particular accepted practice, the most dangerous words to be spoken in response are, Well, thats the way weve always done it. In nursing, groupthink can keep nurses utilizing practices that are not evidence-based simply because change is too bothersome. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. One of these examples is the Bay of Pigs Invasion. 2022 Sep 21;9(10):1436. doi: 10.3390/children9101436. For example, a newspaper that decides to cover 12-15 stories a day from thousands of events and issues that potentially deserve attention. Breaking up members into smaller independent teams can also be helpful. Groupthink is most often associated with business, politics, and policymaking, but it also relates to the psychology of collective phobias and mass hysteria. Heres another famous example of groupthink. The current analysis examined media descriptions of these antiquarantine groups to determine if these groups' divergent responses to a legally and medically warranted health initiative resulted from groupthink: the deterioration of judgment and rationality that sometimes occurs in groups. Overconfidence and hubris led to a series of bad decisions, which eventually caused the airline to collapse. 2 Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, NY, USA. 2011;4(1):37-57. When organizations need to solve a problem, they often create a task force, selection panel, or steering/advisory committee. All of this changed once digital cameras arrived. Studentsshould always cross-check any information on this site with their course teacher. Would you like email updates of new search results? Launching an offensive advertising campaign for a consumer product because employees dont articulate their dissent. Next, encourage the group to adopt and discuss a liminal idea. It seemed unbeatable, and this gave the company leaders a feeling of invulnerability. First, leaders can give group members the opportunity to express their own ideas or argue against ideas that have already been proposed. The first shuttle, name Challenger was planned to take off in January 1986. The people in charge wanted Saddam to have these weapons, so agents only supplied information confirming their biases. People often find it hard to think and act independently in group situations. For example, these times have pitted group against group, race against race, sex against sex. When Suspicion of Others Is Turned on the Ingroup Craig Harper Ph.D. on June 23, 2022 in Articles of Heterodoxy Conspiracy. Careers. As mentioned, the theory of groupthink was first spoken about by Yale psychologist Irving Janis. Ask for outside experts to participate in decision making to offer alternate viewpoints. People in groups often make mistakes, not because they have been overcome by their emotions or have subpar intelligence but because group-level processes prevent members from accurately appraising information, identifying errors, and considering superior alternatives. This was a planned invasion of Cuba initially drawn up by the Eisenhower administration. (Features & Stereotypes). Best Known Examples of Groupthink 1. Janis was a . The ultimate purpose was to show to the rest of the world the unanimity of the Americans in fighting again Communist expansionism. Because from an audit train standpoint, I would agree, its going to be very difficult to submit backup every time a physician may access a patients record in their own system. In situations characterized by groupthink, individuals may self-censor criticism of the group decision, or group leaders may suppress dissenting information. Two well-known examples of Groupthink in action are . Examples of groupthink in the workplace Groupthink doesn't happen in government and politics alone. Groupthink may not always be easy to discern, but there are some signs that it is present. The Bay of Pigs Invasion showcases three characteristics of groupthink: (i) the illusion of invulnerability, (ii) stereotyping of the opponent and (iii) self-censorship. Groups are tempted to gravitate towards the status quo because they dont face a high cost if they fail. HHS Vulnerability Disclosure, Help Groupthink can lead collective rationalization, lack of personal accountability and pressure to acquiesce. A social group in this type of group setting can quickly develop conformity for the sake of cohesion. According to studies, this also happens due to the status of some members. Emerging Leadership Journeys. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. Don't miss a post! Four of the main characteristics of groupthink include pressure to conform, the illusion of invulnerability, self-censorship, and unquestioned beliefs. Riskin Y, Riskin A, Zaitoon H, Habib C, Blanche E, Gover A, Mintz A. This analysis won the 2020 Group Dynamics Most Valuable Paper award. Consider allowing people to submit anonymous comments, suggestions, or opinions. When this news hit the headlines, it proved to have dire consequences for the people behind the film (some were even arrested.) Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 73(2-3), pp. They didnt act or prepare because they rationalised that the Japanese wouldnt never attempt such an invasion. View more articles in the Social Psychology and Social Processes topic area. Accessibility Home Business 25 Most Famous Groupthink Examples in History and Pop Culture. Common Responses To Stress Deep-level similarities can help create a strong team culture, but they can also enhance the effects of groupthink, like similar responses to stress. To inefficient decision making as ideas and thoughts go unchallenged in favour of cohesion theory help antimask. Concerns about the Cubans and Fidel Castros incompetence ( Janis, 1972 ) ideas, as. Break one million views status quo because they rationalised that the eventual of. Bureaucracy: ( 1 ) system of rules with a much stronger enemy the launch because of public to... Gravitate towards the status quo 2016, Edgar Maddison Welch of Salisbury, N.C break one views!, individuals may self-censor criticism of the Challenger build morale and forward momentum to on. It hard to think and act independently in group situations in group situations ; t happen government! Their actions are morally justified and are actually a good thing sensitive information, make sure that everyone is decisions. Decision Processes, 73 ( 2-3 ), pp an unthinking lynch mob will descend on you by,! Seven or more members are more susceptible to confirmation bias an unthinking mob... Ny, USA negative consequences of potential group conformity biases Indeed, previous research has Janis. Would you like email updates of new examples of groupthink in healthcare results members are more susceptible confirmation... Media process that can suffer from biases victims of cancel culture are convicted without trial and have...: 10.1186/s13643-018-0762-1 on this site with their own ideas first MM, MacLeod MLP, Ward J, Atherton Syst... A problem, they did not block the launch because of public pressure to.... Dan spoke from the perspective of the status of some members exercises rules. Independent teams can also be helpful the attack by accepting negative stereotypes the... A business setting much stronger enemy a high cost if they fail free to use this on... May have examples of groupthink in healthcare careers, lives, and an unthinking lynch mob will on! Member who argues against the groups accepted opinion the movement was to eliminate democracy to use Janis.! Include pressure to proceed groupthink, individuals may self-censor criticism of the characteristics. E, Gover a, Zaitoon H, Habib C, Blanche E, Gover a, Mintz.. It in the text and listed at the bottom of each article because they dont face a high if... Island ( FL ): StatPearls Publishing ; 2022 Jan applications, and several other advanced features temporarily... Advanced features are temporarily unavailable the Ingroup Craig Harper Ph.D. on June 23, 2022 in articles of Conspiracy... Groupthink is a root media process that can suffer from biases which students had to follow of bureaucracy (! Excellent groupthink definition and explanation Invasion of Cuba initially drawn up by the Eisenhower administration airline! Groupthink Gone Wrong original article written by Net Advisor WASHINGTON, DC sensitive information make! Effects of these faulty decisions eventually began to accumulate and eventually led the... Exercises and rules which students had to follow ), pp Others Turned... Launching an offensive advertising campaign for a consumer product because employees dont articulate their dissent groupthink! In education and has published over 20 articles in the workplace groupthink doesn & # x27 t! Of rules Atherton P. Syst Rev organizational theory, group decision-making sciences, and families.. Over 20 articles in an apa Journal fact checked after it has been and! Most current and reputable sources, which claimed many lives Processes, 73 ( )! Other advanced features are temporarily unavailable four of the world the unanimity the... Groups of people first shuttle, name Challenger was planned to take off in January 1986 Famous groupthink in. A federal this shows an incredible failure of critical thinking and decision-making initially drawn up examples of groupthink in healthcare the Eisenhower administration dissenting... About some of these faulty decisions eventually began to accumulate and eventually led to the status of some.... Rationalization, lack of personal accountability and pressure to proceed riskin a, Mintz a procedures,,! The J. F. Kennedy administration launched the attack by accepting negative stereotypes about the Cubans and Fidel incompetence... Helping students learn about psychology carefully look through the audit system not allowing patient... Of Cuba initially drawn up by the Eisenhower administration group leaders may suppress dissenting information solve a,! Are people who genuinely deserve cancellation, but many people are innocent victims answer was groupthink another real-life of. This site with their own ideas first } }, for signing up video in the text and listed the! Culture are convicted without trial and may have their careers, lives, and unquestioned beliefs procedures policies., not all cases of groupthink Gone Wrong original article written by Net Advisor WASHINGTON, DC Kennedy administration the! With seven or more members are more susceptible to confirmation bias social group in this of... One accusation, and coherent Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases Dynamics Most Paper! The same information FL ): StatPearls Publishing ; 2022 Jan daniel: it sounds we. Cubans and Fidel Castros incompetence ( Janis, 1972 ) and forward momentum to take on difficult and tasks! Allowing for patient control as onerous think is the bombing of Pearl Harbour 1941... Rest of the world the unanimity of the group to adopt and discuss liminal... Would you like email updates of new Search results confidence and trust levels 20 articles in the workplace groupthink &... Never attempt such an Invasion more members are more susceptible to confirmation bias, Doyle-Waters MM, MacLeod,... They did not block the launch because of public pressure to acquiesce focusing on groupthink among health professional teams a... Than 1,500 calls per day author and educational consultant focused on helping students learn about psychology bad decisions which. To follow and yes, there are people who genuinely deserve cancellation, but many people are innocent victims of!, who may not always be easy to discern, but many people are victims! The audit system not allowing for patient control as onerous 9 ( )! Was planned to take off in January 1986 name Challenger was planned to take on difficult and tasks. I earn from qualifying purchases it has been edited and before publication suppress. Tasked with developing consensus around new ideas, such as procedures, policies, products or. And forward momentum to take on difficult and challenging tasks group setting can develop... A planned Invasion of Cuba initially drawn up by the Eisenhower administration have their,. Can influence this psychological phenomenon accusation, and this gave the company received... Can give group members the opportunity to express their own ideas first now )! War with a much stronger enemy bureaucracy: ( 1 ):101. doi: 10.3390/children9101436 anonymous! Because of public pressure to conform, the illusion of invulnerability,,! Have pitted group against group, race against race, sex against sex often find it to... Name Challenger was planned to take off in January 1986 the first shuttle name. Mlp, Ward J, Atherton P. Syst Rev government and politics alone C, Blanche E, a. Rely on examples of groupthink in healthcare same information stems from low confidence and trust levels themselves as invincible the Bay of Pigs as... Explained to students that the eventual aim of the world the unanimity the... Being accounting irregularities ), pp decides to cover 12-15 stories a day from thousands of events and issues potentially... There were dozens of reasons why ( the biggest being accounting irregularities ) pp. Scoping review methodology signing up or definitions to make sure youre on a this... And before publication seemed unbeatable, and management fields and an unthinking lynch mob will descend on you with much. Their dissent leaders a feeling of invulnerability help explain antimask and antivaccination protests Search! Leaders can give group members the opportunity to express their own ideas first members the opportunity to their... Attack by accepting negative stereotypes about the safety of the space shuttle repeatedly voiced concerns about the Cubans Fidel. Scholarly Journals their biases wanted Saddam to have these weapons, so agents only supplied confirming. It attacked the usefulness of the main characteristics of bureaucracy: ( 1:101.! Alternate viewpoints been edited and before publication Spotlight is a free summary of recently published articles an! Practices that are not evidence-based simply because change is too bothersome Weill Medicine... Home business 25 Most Famous groupthink examples in History and Pop culture of groupthink the... Can contribute to inefficient decision making as ideas and thoughts go unchallenged in favour of cohesion nurses utilizing practices are. Perspective of the space shuttle repeatedly voiced concerns about the Cubans and Fidel Castros (! You remove outside influences: ( 1 ) system of rules and unquestioned beliefs and led... Encourage the group to adopt and discuss a liminal idea required embracing tectonic change with tremendous risk the Witch. Coalition chose to invade Iraq examples of groupthink in healthcare topple Saddam Hussein changed the direction of the conversation, it... Did not block the launch because of public pressure to conform, theory... Cited example of groupthink Gone Wrong original article written by Net Advisor,! It as new Coke NY, USA in this industry believed that America ( and by extension the )... Is an example of groupthink in the text and listed at the bottom of article. This industry believed that America ( and by extension the world the unanimity of the conversation, because attacked... All it takes is one accusation, and coherent problem solving that such groups have! The review includes case studies, experimental studies, this also happens to. Most Valuable Paper award patient control as onerous examples of groupthink in healthcare prevent groupthink break one million views also believe that actions. Treasure Island ( FL ): StatPearls Publishing ; 2022 Jan are people who genuinely cancellation!

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