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

Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people, characterized by the tendency for members to conform to a consensus opinion rather than critically analyzing or evaluating ideas. This often leads to poor decision-making because individuals may suppress dissenting views, fail to consider alternative solutions, and overlook potential risks.

When groupthink takes hold, the emphasis on harmony and consensus can undermine critical evaluation processes that are essential for sound decision-making. This lack of scrutiny can result in poor choices, as important information and diverse perspectives may be overlooked or ignored in favor of maintaining group cohesion. Therefore, the correct response highlights how groupthink can be detrimental by leading to poor decision-making due to this inadequate critical evaluation.

In contrast, the other options suggest positive outcomes such as increased innovation or efficiency, which are typically not associated with groupthink, as it often stifles creative problem-solving and leads to hasty, uncritical decisions without thorough analysis. Enhanced understanding of group dynamics, while potentially a benefit of studying groupthink, does not directly address the negative impact of groupthink on decision-making processes.