Group think
Shahood3
3GroupThink.doc|
|
Group Think
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For this Activity I want you to role play an intern working in Representative Marcy Kaptur’s Washington Office. You are a “communication” intern. This morning Representative Kaptur came to you with a request. “I’m baffled at the conflict among groups in the upper-level executive branch. Many groups seem to have a rigid mind set about how to solve problems in the U.S. and the world. https://twitter.com/mj_lee/status/829882009459757058 The behavior of these groups reminds me of a concept I studied in college called Group Think. Please write me a working analysis of these groups. Tell me which groups are practicing Group Think and write me a plan for getting them to work more cooperatively together.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
To complete Representative Kaptur’s request, please follow this rubric: 1. The 4 characteristics of Group think (Activity #2). 2. Survey the links below and identify at least one example of Group Think from the evidence below. Thus you will have 4 examples of Group Think. President Trump and group think: http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/the-administration/310205-trumps-general-filled-cabinet-a-team-of-allies-risk The rise of the new group think https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/opinion/sunday/the-rise-of-the-new-groupthink.html group think in politics http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alison-a-quirk/rewiring-workplace-think-_b_12562312.html current examples of current group think http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/7/6/547262/- group think in education penn state cover up http://ideas.time.com/2012/07/17/penn-state-cover-up-group-think-in-action/ group think in business https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/groupthink-when-good-people-make-bad-decisions-westerhaus-renfrow group think in congress group think and the alt right http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/alt-right-hate-richard-spencer_us_5833242fe4b058ce7aac26fe
|
|
|
3. Explain why each example is engaging in these dysfunctional behaviors. 4. From the 4 examples you have found, select one example of Group Think and propose a (3- 5 page proposal, using concrete, specific examples ) of how Representative Kaptur might improve group communication within that dysfunctional organization.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rubric for Group Think Analysis Paper
For this research paper locate a real and problematic “group think” community within your town. It could be a religious group’s governing council, a dysfunctional fraternity or sorority, a political ‘in group,’ a social club’s membership committee, a group at your professional firm, a ‘coffee committee’ meeting at one of the local restaurants for a morning gripe session, etc. Before you begin analysis of this group please check with me.
You are a communication consultant specializing in-group communication. You discover a genuine “group-think” band of citizens in your committee. Write a short report (3-5 pages double-spaced) that 1. Describes why this group is a “problem.” 2. Describe and define the main issues in this “group think” problem. 3. Proposes one realistic, concrete plan to change the group’s communication behavior. This plan would stand the best chance of starting a change in the committee’s communication patterns.
1. Describe with Concrete details the members of the problem group and the group’s civic or social context:
a. Its context b. Its members
c. Its effect on the larger community
2. Describe one problem with this group’s “group think” behavior.
a. What happens with new information enters the group’s communication environment? b. Which of the Janis constructs does this group use to justify its communication stance? Cohesion? Isolation? Biased leadership?
Decisional stress?
3. What is one solution that will begin to ameliorate the Group Think communication behavior?
