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INTERPERSONAL

DYNAMICS&GROUP

BEHAVIOURPreparedBy:ShwetaAdlakha

 AnkitDua

GeetanjaliKapoor

ManishKr.Singh

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GroupDecisionMaking

• Groupthink

Phenomenoninwhichthenormforconsensus

overridestherealisticappraisalofalternativecourse

ofaction.

• Groupshift

 Achangeindecisionriskbetweenthegroup’s

decisionandtheindividualdecisionthatmember

withinthegroupwouldmake;canbeeithertoward

conservatismorgreaterrisk.

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Why People

Join Groups

•Security

•Status

•

Self-esteem•Affiliation

•Power

•Goal Achievement

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GROUPTHINK

• Groupthinkisatypeofthoughtwithinadeeply

cohesivein-groupwhosememberstrytominimizeconflictandreachconsensuswithoutcriticallytesting,analyzing,andevaluatingideas.Itisasecondpotentialnegativeconsequenceofgroupcohesion.

• Groupthinkisrelatedtonorms.Itdescribessituationsin

whichgrouppressuresforconformitydeterminethegroup.

• Groupthinkisadiseasethatattacksmanygroupsand

candramaticallyhindertheirperformance.

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What can managers do to minimize

groupthink?

• Managersshouldalsoencouragegroupleaderstoplayan

impartialrole.Leadersshouldactivelyseekinputfromallmembersandavoidexpressingtheirownopinions,

especiallyItheearlystagesofdeliberation.

• Onesuchexerciseistohavegroupmemberstalkabout

dangersorrisksinvolvedinadecisionanddelaying

discussionofanypotentialgains.• Memberstofirstfocusonthenegativesofadecision

alternative,thegroupislesslikelytostifledissentingviews

andmorelikelytogainanobjectiveevaluation.

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Thediscoveryofgroupthink

• Withintheperiodofalittleoverayearand

ahalf,theKennedyadministrationmadeoneoftheworstandoneofthebestforeignpolicydecisioninU.S.history.

 –  BayofPigs –  CubanMissileCrisis

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Groupthink&theBayofPigs

• Cohesion(KennedyWhiteHouse&espritdecorps)

• Directiveleadership(JFKmadeknownhisintentionsearlyintheprocess)

• Highstress(firsttimeonworldstage)

• Insulation&limitedsearch(duetosensitivityofmatterlittleoutsideintervention)

• Invulnerableorunlimitedconfidence(getawaywithcoverstoryfortheinvasion)

• Self-censorship(SchlesingerwrotecriticalmemostoothersbutwithheldcriticismattheWhiteHouse)

• Mindguards(EdwardMurrowofUSIAwaspreventedfromvoicingopposition)

• Outgroupstereotyping(presstoblameforreleaseofinformation)

• Limitedsearchforconflictinginformation(noevidencethatinvasionwouldsetoffmassrevoltinCuba)

• Noriskassessment

• Nocontingencyplansmade(exceptescapetodistantmountainareaif

invasionfailed)

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CubanMissileCrisis

•  AsaresultoftheBayofPigs,JFK:

 –  Tookresponsibilityforthedecisionpersonally –  Conductedareviewofthedecisiontoestablishnewprocedures

• Thenewproceduresincluded:

 –  Groupmemberstoldtobecriticalandwatchdogs

 –  Outsideexpertsandfreshperspectivesobtained –  Independentsubgroupstocreatecompetingpolicies

 –  Leadlesssessions(JFKnotpresenttodirectdiscussion)

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ResultsofCubanMissileCrisis

• Despiteoperatingunderconditionsof

highcohesionandstressandthreat,

thegroupmadeaneffectivedecision

including:

 –  Thecreationofcontingencyplans

 –  Realisticriskappraisal

 –  Reversalofjudgmentsanddecisions

 –  Completeinformationsearchandappraisal

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Othergroupthinkfiascos:

• LackofpreparednessatPearlHarbor

• Watergate• Challengerdisaster

• CityofSantaCruz’searthquakepreparedness

•  AppeasementofNaziGermany

• DecisionsatKentState• Marketingthedrugthalidomide

• Israel’slackofpreparednessforOct.1973war

• WorldComaccountingfraudincident

• Columbiaspaceshuttletragedy

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MitigatingtheEffectsofGroupthink

• Goals:

 –  Decisionquality

 –  Decisionacceptance(bygroupandconstituents)

• Generalstrategies:

 –  Increaseconstructiveconflict(debateanddiscussionabouttheissues)

 –  Decreaseemotionalconflict(desiretomaintainsocial

identity) –  Conductasocialinfluenceanalysistodeterminesourcesofinfluencethatmayservetobiasdecisionmaking

• Results:Teamsthatfocusonfacts,considermultiplealternatives,createcommongoals,usehumor,balancepower,andseekconsensusbasedonqualificationsperform

betterthantheircounterparts.

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GROUPSHIFT

• Itindicatesthatindiscussingagivenset

alternativesandarrivingatasolution.

• InGroupshift,groupmemberstendto

exaggeratetheinitialpositionsthatthey

hold.• Insomesituations,cautiondominates,and

thereisaconservativeshift.Moreoften,

however,theevidenceindicatesthat

groupstendtowardariskyshift.

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CAUSESOFGROUPSHIFT

• Highlycohesivegroupsaremuchmorelikelytoengagein

groupthink,becausetheircohesivenessoftencorrelateswithunspokenunderstandingandtheabilitytowork

togetherwithminimalexplanations(e.g.,techspeak

ortelegraphicspeech).

• Directiveleadership.

• Homogeneityofmembers'socialbackgroundandideology.• Isolationofthegroupfromoutsidesourcesofinformation

andanalysis.

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SYMPTOMSOFGROUPSHIFT

• Illusionsofinvulnerability creatingexcessiveoptimismandencouraging

risktaking.

• Rationalizing warnings thatmightchallengethegroup'sassumptions.

• Unquestionedbelief  inthemoralityofthegroup,causingmembersto

ignoretheconsequencesoftheiractions.

• Stereotyping thosewhoareopposedtothegroupasweak,evil,

biased,spiteful,disfigured,impotent,orstupid.

• Directpressure toconformplacedonanymemberwhoquestionsthe

group,couchedintermsof"disloyalty".• Selfcensorship ofideasthatdeviatefromtheapparentgroup

consensus.

• Illusionsofunanimity amonggroupmembers,silenceisviewedas

agreement.

• Mindguards  — self-appointedmemberswhoshieldthegroupfromdissentin information.

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GROUPSHIFT

• Whentheinitial

positionofindividuals

inthegroup

exaggeratestowarda

moreextremeposition.

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CASESTUDY

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