Groupthink occurs when a group prioritizes HARMONY and CONFORMITY over critical evaluation, leading to flawed decisions.
Imagine this:
Groupthink is like a big boat sailing through super thick fog. The crew?
Oh, they think they totally know where they’re going.
“We got this! We got this!” they chant (that’s epizeuxis—repeating for drama!).
But here’s the twist:
👉 they don’t check the map,
👉 they ignore the blinking warning lights, and
👉 they laugh off the one sailor who says,
“Uh, maybe we’re headed straight for the rocks.”
The CONFIDENT boat sails forward, proud and bold.
But guess what? Confidence doesn’t see the iceberg named Reality.
That’s groupthink:
when everyone agrees so hard, they forget to think.
Moral?
A Group that only listens to itself might be all cheers and no ears
—and crash before they know it.
1. Thinking “We Can’t Be Wrong”
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Meaning: Overconfidence in the group's decisions.
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Example: U.S. leaders assumed the Bay of Pigs invasion would succeed.
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Consequence: The mission failed, damaging U.S. credibility.
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Citation: The Bay of Pigs Invasion is a textbook example of groupthink-induced failure. (NeuroLeadership Institute)
2. Ignoring Warnings
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Meaning: Dismissing critical warnings.
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Example: NASA overlooked O-ring concerns before the Challenger launch.
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Consequence: The shuttle exploded, killing all seven astronauts.
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Citation: Groupthink led to the neglect of engineers' warnings about the O-ring issue.
3. Thinking “We’re Always Right”
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Meaning: Belief in the moral superiority of the group's actions.
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Example: Enron executives believed their actions were justified despite unethical practices.
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Consequence: The company collapsed, leading to massive financial losses.
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Citation: Enron's downfall was partly due to a culture of moral superiority and groupthink. (Psychology Today)
4. Saying “They Don’t Get It”
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Meaning: Disregarding external opinions.
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Example: Warnings against the Iraq War were ignored.
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Consequence: A prolonged conflict with significant costs.
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Citation: Groupthink contributed to the dismissal of dissenting views on the Iraq invasion. (Responsible Statecraft)
5. Feeling Forced to Agree
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Meaning: Pressure to conform within the group.
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Example: Volkswagen employees manipulated emissions data to meet targets.
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Consequence: Legal penalties and loss of public trust.
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Citation: Groupthink dynamics played a role in the VW emissions scandal. (Wikipedia)
6. Keeping Quiet
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Meaning: Suppressing concerns to maintain group harmony.
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Example: Engineers hesitated to voice concerns before the Columbia disaster.
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Consequence: The shuttle disintegrated upon re-entry, killing all aboard.
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Citation: Normalization of deviance and groupthink contributed to the Columbia tragedy. (NASA Safety Management System)
7. Assuming Everyone Agrees
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Meaning: Mistaking silence for consensus.
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Example: Financial institutions ignored signs of the 2008 crisis.
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Consequence: A global economic downturn.
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Citation: Groupthink led to the dismissal of warnings before the financial crisis. (ICIS Explore)
8. Telling People to Shut Up
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Meaning: Discouraging dissenting opinions.
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Example: Toyota retaliated against whistleblowers.
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Consequence: Safety issues escalated, leading to recalls.
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Citation: Toyota's culture suppressed internal criticism, exemplifying groupthink
9. Hiding Problems
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Meaning: Concealing issues from decision-makers.
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Example: BP ignored safety concerns before the Deepwater Horizon spill.
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Consequence: Environmental disaster and loss of life.
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Citation: Groupthink contributed to BP's neglect of safety warnings. (The Whitehall & Industry Group (WIG))
10. Not Looking at Other Choices
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Meaning: Failing to consider alternatives.
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Example: Kodak dismissed digital photography advancements.
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Consequence: Loss of market dominance and bankruptcy.
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Citation: Kodak's resistance to change was influenced by groupthink.
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Meaning: The group believes it is superior and infallible.
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Example: Theranos claimed its blood-testing technology was revolutionary despite lacking evidence.
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Consequence: The company collapsed, and the founder was convicted of fraud.
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Citation: Carreyrou, J. (2018). Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup.(Helpful Professor, Fox News, FIC Hansraj, Bookstore)
12. Limiting Options Too Soon
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Meaning: The group considers only a few options and dismisses alternatives.
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Example: Brexit leaders focused on hard exit strategies without exploring softer alternatives.
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Consequence: Poor planning led to confusion and economic issues.
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Citation: Can the hard man of Brexit fix corporate groupthink? (2024). Financial Times.(Financial Times)
13. Not Listening to Experts
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Meaning: The group disregards expert advice.
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Example: Fukushima plant officials ignored earthquake and tsunami warnings.
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Consequence: A nuclear disaster displaced thousands.
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Citation: Japan’s decade of struggle since the Fukushima nuclear disaster. (2021). The Washington Post.(Encyclopedia Britannica, Wikipedia, The Washington Post)
14. Getting Used to Risky Behavior
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Meaning: The group normalizes dangerous practices.
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Example: NASA accepted shuttle damage as “normal,” leading to the Columbia disaster.
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Consequence: The shuttle broke apart, killing the crew.
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Citation: Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. (n.d.). NASA.(Pinterest, Wikipedia)
15. Avoiding Disagreements
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Meaning: Members suppress dissent to maintain harmony.
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Example: United Airlines staff followed harmful rules without question.
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Consequence: A passenger was forcibly removed, leading to public outrage.
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Citation: United Airlines incident prompts policy changes. (2017). CNN.(The Global Warming Policy Foundation)
16. Too Much Information
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Meaning: Information overload leads to poor decision-making.
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Example: Healthcare.gov's launch was plagued by technical issues due to complexity.
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Consequence: The website crashed, embarrassing the government.
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Citation: Healthcare.gov: How political fear was pitted against technical needs. (2013). The Washington Post.(Wikipedia)
17. Trying Too Hard to Agree
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Meaning: The group prioritizes consensus over critical evaluation.
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Example: Challenger engineers were pressured to agree to the launch.
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Consequence: The shuttle exploded on live TV.
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Citation: Man who predicted space shuttle Challenger disaster dies. (2019). Fox News.
18. Deciding Based on Feelings, Not Facts
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Meaning: Emotions drive decisions instead of evidence.
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Example: Post-9/11 policies were enacted rapidly out of fear.
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Consequence: Long wars and controversial laws were rushed.
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Citation: The 9/11 Commission Report. (2004). National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States.
19. Forgetting Past Mistakes
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Meaning: The group fails to learn from previous errors.
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Example: Banks repeated risky lending practices leading up to the 2008 crisis.
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Consequence: Financial crash and millions lost homes.
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Citation: What Caused the 2008 Global Financial Crisis? (2023). The Balance.(Sites@Duke Express, The Balance)
20. Protecting the Group’s Image
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Meaning: The group hides problems to maintain its reputation.
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Example: The NRA maintained its stance despite mass shootings.
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Consequence: Lost support and increasing public criticism.
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Citation: NRA's influence wanes amid controversies. (2020). The New York Times.
21. Blaming One Person for Speaking Up
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Meaning: The group scapegoats dissenters.
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Example: Boeing ignored safety issues by blaming one voice.
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Consequence: Two plane crashes and 346 deaths.
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Citation: What the Harvard and Boeing Boards Teach Us About Groupthink. (2024). Time.(Time)
22. Going Along With the Group
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Meaning: Individuals conform despite personal objections.
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Example: Wells Fargo staff opened fake accounts under pressure.
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Consequence: Major scandal, lost trust, and huge fines.
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Citation: Wells Fargo fined $3 billion for fake accounts scandal. (2020). Reuters.(Financial Times)
23. Nobody Feels Responsible
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Meaning: Diffusion of responsibility leads to inaction.
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Example: Flint officials failed to address water contamination.
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Consequence: Thousands exposed to lead, public outrage.
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Citation: Flint Water Crisis: A Step-By-Step Look At What Happened. (2016). NPR.
24. Thinking Group Choices Are Always Right
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Meaning: The group assumes its decisions are infallible.
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Example: Wall Street ignored housing risk signs.
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Consequence: Global financial meltdown.
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Citation: The 2008 Global Financial Crisis: 15 Years Later. (2023). Psychology Today.(Wikipedia)
25. Thinking Everyone Thinks the Same
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Meaning: The group assumes unanimous agreement without verification.
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Example: Facebook thought staff agreed on policy changes.
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Consequence: Bad decisions and staff frustration.
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Citation: Facebook's internal debates reveal policy challenges. (2021). The Wall Street Journal.
26. Not Changing Even After New Info
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Meaning: The group resists updating decisions despite new evidence.
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Example: COVID leaders delayed new rules.
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Consequence: More sickness and avoidable deaths.
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Citation: A case study in groupthink: were liberals wrong about the pandemic? (2025). The Guardian.
27. Only Listening to What They Want to Hear
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Meaning: The group filters information to confirm existing beliefs.
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Example: Social media platforms reinforced their own ideas.
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Consequence: Spread of fake news and polarization.
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Citation: Dangers of Groupthink and the Internet. (2024). FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin.(Wikipedia, LEB)
28. Getting More Extreme Together
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Meaning: Group discussions intensify members' views.
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Example: Extremist groups became more radical online.
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Consequence: Real-world violence and hate.
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Citation: Dangers of Groupthink and the Internet. (2024). FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin.(Financial Times, Regent University)
29. Rushing to Decide
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Meaning: The group makes hasty decisions without thorough analysis.
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Example: COVID school closures were rushed.
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Consequence: Confused parents, stressed kids, and unsafe reopenings.
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Citation: A case study in groupthink: were liberals wrong about the pandemic? (2025). The Guardian.
30. Leader Doesn’t Let People Speak Up
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Meaning: The leader suppresses dissenting opinions.
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Example: At Theranos, employees couldn’t challenge the CEO.
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Consequence: Lies lasted longer, and more people were hurt.
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Citation: Carreyrou, J. (2018). Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
Here are some questions you might ask yourself when you're in a group:
– Am I speaking my true thoughts, or just agreeing to keep peace?
– Is someone being ignored because their view is different?
– Have we considered other options, or just the easiest one?
– Are we rushing to decide without enough reflection?
– Do I feel pressure to agree, even if I’m unsure?
– Is the loudest person leading us, or the wisest?
– What might we be missing by not asking “what if we’re wrong?”
– Are we choosing what feels right—or what is right?
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