Argumentation & Debate - Extra Credit Assignment

1. GROUP THINK
The Effect Others Have on Us

2. What is Group Think?
Group think is the process of voluntary decision
making within a group, that focuses not on
evaluating all the information at hand to come to
the most valid conclusion, but instead on reaching
the outcome that each group member thinks the
others want.

3. “If everyone’s thinking alike,
then someone isn’t
thinking.”
George S. Patton

4. Communication problems occur
when decisions are made in a
group.
The desire to conform to the
group dynamic is strong and can
often make individuals abandon
their critical thinking skills in
order to avoid “rocking the boat”.

5. Group Think v. Critical Thinking
Group Think
 Succumbing to peer pressure
 Letting others do the work
 Clinging to an idea and
rationalizing/discarding conflicting evidence
 Ignoring your instincts in order to ‘keep the
peace’
Critical Thinking
 Confidence to state a differing point of view
 Proactively looking for answers
 Taking all information into account and
changing course if necessary
 Accepting the results of a disagreement and
valuing different perspectives

6. According to Emory University
Neuroscientist Gregory Berns, when an
individual takes a stand against a group,
a part of their brain is activated that is
associated with the fear of rejection.
Professor Berns refers to this as the “pain
of independence”.
The fear of being isolated is rooted
deeply in human nature, but ignoring
relevant information to avoid a
disagreement can come at the cost of
societal progress.

7. Restricts
potential
growth
Results in
oversimplificati
on
of important
issues
Ignores warning
signs that a
particular
approach isn’t
working
Maintains
biases &
stereotypes
Complications of Group Think

8. While we can’t be sure that this
infographic is entirely True, it does
present a valid argument and
illustrates an example of how
damaging it can be to make
decisions based on the perceived
desires or actions of others.

9. “When you find yourself on the
side of the majority, you should
pause and reflect.”
Mark Twain
How to Prevent Group Think
 Be aware of your personal decision
making style
 Question everything you’re told
 Look for validity in the arguments you
hear from fellow group members
 Don’t oversimplify
 Keep an eye on your assumptions and
biases
 Accept the possibility that you might not
know the answer
 Maintain the confidence to have a
different opinion
 Require credible evidence to reach your
threshold
 Look for other points of view on the
subject
 Focus on making the best decision with
the information available instead of
achieving consensus

10. “The surest way to corrupt
a youth is to instruct him to
hold in higher esteem
those who think alike than
those who think
differently.”
-Nietzsche