Multiple Choice, Single Answer

The psychologist Irving Janis used the term 'groupthink' to describe what can happen when members of a close-knit group value agreement more than careful judgement. In such groups, people who have doubts may keep quiet to avoid seeming disloyal, and the silence of others is taken as a sign that everyone agrees. As a result, the group can reach confident decisions that none of its members would have made after thinking the problem through alone. Janis suggested several remedies, including asking one member to argue against the group's preferred option and inviting outside experts to challenge its plans.