Week 9 Assignment: Groupthink

PSY101: Assignment 9 Page 1

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Worksheet: Groupthink

Assignment Overview

In history, you learned that some decisions made by leaders in a group situation were not always the right or morally correct decisions. Some examples include the atrocities of the Nazi's, slavery, segregation, Watergate, cults and gangs, along with many others. How could such decisions have been made, especially within a group setting? While none of these decisions were acceptable or condoned, the concept of "Groupthink" helps us understand such mentality. This assignment will assist you in gaining insight into a "Groupthink" mentality.

In this assignment, you will describe a situation in which you were involved in a group decision-making process.

Assignment Details

Perform the following tasks:

· Complete the reading assignment and the interactive lecture before attempting this assignment.

· Review the table below and answer the questions.

Characteristics of Groupthink
Characteristics	Description
Invulnerability	Members feel they cannot fail.
Rationalization	Members explain away warning signs and help each other rationalize their decision.
Lack of introspection	Members do not examine the ethical implications of their decision because they believe that they cannot make immoral choices.
Stereotyping	Members stereotype their enemies as weak, stupid, or unreasonable.
Pressure	Members pressure each other not to question the prevailing opinion.
Lack of disagreement	Members do not express opinions that differ from the group consensus.
Self-deception	Members share in the illusion that they all agree with the decision.
Insularity	Members prevent the group from hearing disruptive but potentially useful information from people who are outside the group.

· Your responses (approximately 250 words) must have correct spelling and grammar.

· Check your assignment against against unintended plagiarism.

· Include the proper file naming convention: PSY101H_wk9_assn_jsmith_mmddyyyy.

Grading:

Gradable items in assignment	Points
Described participation in a group decision that was not effective.	25
Described the result of the problem to be solved.	25
Described characteristics of groupthink.	25
Applied the expectations in the Written Assignment Rubric	25
Total Points	100

Assignment Worksheet

Respond to the following prompts:

1. Groupthink does not lead to good decisions. Describe a time when you participated in a group decision that was not effective. The situation can involve family, work, or a social group.

Your answer:

2. Was the problem easily solved, difficult to solve, or not solved at all?

Your answer:

3. What characteristics of groupthink were involved?

Your answer: