How can you avoid being stuck in groupthink?

Are you a conformist controlled by groupthink? What got us thinking about this is how social influence can impact our decision-making. Conformity and groupthink are aligning one’s attitudes and behaviors with others, even if you may not agree with their philosophies.

Why does this matter? It matters because we make many of our decisions based on social influence. It can play a small role in some situations and quite a big role in others. An example of a small role would be when you’re going to a party. Do you try to figure out what people are wearing, so that you’ll fit in, or do you decide to wear what you want, no matter what others are wearing? The consequences of this decision are small and short-lived.

For bigger, more impactful decisions, do you follow what the majority are doing, or do you do your own independent research to guide your decision? An example of this would be decisions regarding politics. Do you automatically follow the ‘party line’ or do you do your own research and think for yourself?

Conformity researchers, Mirre Stallen and Alan G. Stanley, at Stanford University, show how we can conform in two ways. The first way is called ‘informational conformity’. This is where people conform to a group norm due to the belief that the group is competent and represents the correct information. The second way is called ‘normative conformity’ where people want to be liked and accepted by the group. As the groups develop, following the group either produces positive or negative results. Learning from the outcomes either reinforces or diminishes the allegiance to the group.

We are actually exposed to social influence in many ways that we might not recognize. Social influence is simply the influence of others’ opinions on our opinions. Groupthink is where group members seek to modify their opinions to fit what they believe to be the consensus of the group. Do you want your decisions to be based on your own thinking, or based on groupthink?

Here is one famous study that shows the strong effects of social influence on conformity and groupthink. Hopefully, this will help bring awareness of how thinking can be influenced.

This study was conducted by Solomon Asch in the 1950’s. The study was done to determine how people are affected by the behaviors of other people. In this study, a participant was placed in a group. Unbeknownst to that naïve participant, all other members of the group were members of the research team.  They were all shown three printed lines of different lengths. Then they were shown a separate line and asked to say, out loud, which line it matched from the group of three lines. Actually, this was quite simple to discern.

All members of the research team individually said, out loud, the same, but wrong, line as their answer. When it was time for the naïve participant to answer, the naïve participant conformed to group pressure and also indicated the wrong line, 76% of the time. Interestingly, if there were one other person who first gave a correct answer, the conformity rate dropped to near zero. This shows that people felt more confident to give the right answer if they were not the only one. It also shows the impact that one person can have on a group when they speak up.

Groupthink is often seen in situations where the group is isolated from hearing alternative viewpoints. If you think you’re part of a group, or organization, where groupthink is hindering its effectiveness, here are some things to watch for and correct.

• The group leader is protected from dealing with dissenting views.
• Opinions of group members who disagree with the group are quickly put down.
• The illusion of unanimity among group members is important to preserve.
• Group members censor themselves and withhold information that would conflict with the views of the group.
• Stereotypes, or negative attitudes, are promoted against those who may hold opposing views.

How can conformity and groupthink be avoided? Some strategies could include: Group members vote in private; seek outside opinions; conduct research on all viewpoints, discuss and weigh the costs and benefits of those viewpoints.

What about you? Do you consider yourself an independent thinker? Do you feel you are being pulled away from your values and falling into groupthink? If so, we encourage you to look at what needs to be changed so you can avoid being stuck in groupthink. Then your attitudes and actions can reflect what you really want for your life. Hans F. Hansen says, “It takes nothing to join the crowd, it takes everything to stand alone.”

Chanhassen MN residents, Doug and Lynn Nodland are success coaches and owners of The Balance Center in Excelsior. Contact them at WeCare@SharingLifesLessons.com

© Doug and Lynn Nodland 2022 Articles and videos may be shared in their entirety with attribution.