Psychology MCAT Practice Exam 2025 – Complete All-in-One Guide to Ensure Your Success!

The phenomenon of groupthink is primarily characterized by the desire for group harmony that can lead to poor decision-making. When members of a group prioritize consensus and cohesiveness over critical analysis and independent thinking, they may suppress dissenting viewpoints and fail to consider alternative solutions. This can result in flawed decisions, as the group collectively overlooks potential risks and critical evaluations of the situation.

In environments where groupthink occurs, individuals might conform to the prevailing opinion without fully voicing their concerns or doubts, leading to a lack of creative ideas and solutions. The pursuit of unity often stifles healthy debate, which is crucial for effective decision-making.

Conversely, encouraging diverse opinions would likely mitigate groupthink, as would having increased critical evaluation of alternatives. Additionally, while a strong leader can guide decisions, it is not a defining characteristic of groupthink; in fact, the influence of a dominant leader may exacerbate the tendency towards groupthink by discouraging dissenting views. Overall, the essence of groupthink lies in the detrimental effects of striving for interpersonal harmony at the expense of making well-informed choices.