Page 339 - Nutrition Counseling and Education Skills: A Guide for Professionals

1. All group members have the responsibility and obligation to share opinions and ideas.
2. After group members have expressed opinions on a particular issue, they have the right to ask others to paraphrase these comments to their

satisfaction.
3. After being paraphrased, they may not bring up their perspective again unless asked to do so by another group member. Insisting on one’s

own point of view or blocking discussion is not acceptable.
4. Differences of opinion should be viewed as natural, expected, and not criticized. Everyone has the responsibility to understand the ideas,

arguments, and opinions of the other members and may ask questions for clarification.
5. After all perspectives are understood, the group needs to arrive at a solution or decision that can satisfy everyone. In accomplishing this task,

the group may not immediately resort to the stress-reducing techniques of majority rule, trade-offs, averaging, coin-flipping, and bargaining.

Members need to be encouraged to seek out the perspectives of others so that everyone is involved in the
decision-making process. Disagreements can help the group’s decision because a wider range of information
and opinions provides a greater chance that the group will develop superior solutions. Frequently, when the
group members suspend their own judgment, new solutions emerge that no single individual would have been
able to develop alone.

SELF-ASSESSMENT 1

The cafeteria work group has been a cohesive unit. Recently, Joyce Little, a popular 8-year employee,
resigned. Tomorrow, Sarah Smith, a new employee, will be replacing her.

1. What effect will a change in employee have on the cohesiveness of the work group?
2. What can be done by the manager and current team members to recreate the cohesive unit?

Groupthink

Groupthink is a “mode of thinking members may engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive
group.”13 When members reach consensus too quickly, are overly cohesive, or give in to avoid conflict,
groupthink may occur.2 The quality of a decision is reduced when the group stifles individual creativity, when
the pros and cons are not examined, and when people do not challenge ideas.12 Group pressures for
conformity, or a goal of making a quick decision rather than finding the best solution, can lead to a faulty
decision as members go along rather than give full consideration.1 Members need to look for weaknesses in
arguments.

Groupthink may also occur when members rely on compromise or majority rule rather than work toward
consensus or when people with similar viewpoints, backgrounds, and opinions are grouped together.13
Homogeneous groups with similar demographic, cognitive, and cultural backgrounds may make more errors
in decision making and problem solving. Such groups may need to consult one or more outside experts. Have
you ever thought of speaking up in a group, but decided against it? Being too uncritical and failing to raise
questions about conclusions, solutions, or decisions can create a climate of groupthink.12

CASE ANALYSIS 5

How would the concept of “Groupthink” apply to this support group?

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