Leadership, cohesion and groupthink Cover Image

Leadership, coeziune și gândire de grup
Leadership, cohesion and groupthink

Author(s): Iulia Iurchevici
Subject(s): Psychology, Social psychology and group interaction
Published by: State Pedagogical University „Ion Creanga” from Chisinau
Keywords: Self – Censorship; Cohesion; Conformism; Groupthink; Illusion of morality; Invulnerability; Leadership; Mind guards; Collective Rationalization; Unanimous group decision;

Summary/Abstract: The Groupthink Phenomenon refers to the tendency of the members of a group to reach solidarity and cohesion, the trend that makes to bypass any questions which would lead to disputes. In such cases, if the members expect counter-arguments regarding a certain issue, they avoid to raise the matter. If it is believed that a question cannot be answered – it isn’t asked. Originally, Janis the author of the term, explains this process through the environment that has been established within groups that are in the leading position, but later, puts a strong emphasis towards the tendency to maintain the unanimity of the decision of the group. As preceding conditions of this decision-making process are listed the following: the high cohesion of the group, its isolation from other external sources of information, the lack of an impartial leadership, lack of appropriate legal framework and procedures in the decision - making process, and also “homogeneity of members, background and their ideology”. The Groupthink is manifested by: Illusion of Invulnerability, Collective Rationalization, Illusion of morality, Out – Group Stereotypes, Strong pressures towards conformism, Self – Censorship, Illusions of unanimity, and the presence of “Mind Guards”. In order to understand the decisions of a group, it is important that some analysis of Groupthink to be done, because in this way, can be controlled or eliminated the communicational distortion that occurs at a time among members forming these groups.

  • Issue Year: 2016
  • Issue No: 44(3)
  • Page Range: 119-126
  • Page Count: 8
  • Language: Romanian