groupthink
UK[ˈɡruːpθɪŋk]US[ˈɡruːpθɪŋk]
n
the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group in a way that discourages creativity or individual responsibility.
n
the tendency for members of a cohesive group to reach consensus without critically testing, analyzing, or evaluating ideas.
Morpheme Breakdown
group
think
group
collective
think
thought process
Etymology
the term is a modern compound, formed in the mid-20th century by directly combining the english words "group" and "think." it was coined by social psychologist william h. whyte in 1952 and later popularized by irving janis, who studied flawed decision-making processes. the word's logic is transparent: it literally denotes the phenomenon of a "group thinking" as a single, often uncritical, entity. this concept describes how social cohesion and a desire for unanimity can override realistic appraisal and lead to irrational or dysfunctional outcomes.
Analysis
Structure: group (collective) + think (thought process)
group (from old french 'groupe', of germanic origin, meaning a number of people or things considered together); think (from old english 'þencan', of germanic origin, meaning to have a conscious mind or to reason).
Examples
the company's disastrous launch was a classic case of groupthink, where no one dared to voice concerns.
to avoid groupthink, the leader encouraged each team member to play devil's advocate.
the political committee fell victim to groupthink, unanimously supporting a flawed strategy.