In the context of social psychology, which of the following best defines groupthink?

• A. A phenomenon where the desire for harmony or conformity in a group results in irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcomes
• B. A tendency for people to exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone
• C. A process by which individuals improve their performance when working in the presence of others
• D. A situation in which individuals in a group independently generate ideas before sharing them with the group

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of groupthink in social psychology. Groupthink occurs when the desire for group harmony or conformity leads members to make poor or irrational decisions, often suppressing dissenting opinions.
2. Step 2: Review each option carefully and compare it to the definition of groupthink. Identify which option describes decision-making influenced by the desire for consensus at the expense of critical evaluation.
3. Step 3: Recognize that the correct definition involves dysfunctional decision-making due to conformity pressures, rather than simply reduced effort, improved performance, or independent idea generation.
4. Step 4: Eliminate options that describe other social psychology phenomena, such as social loafing (reduced effort), social facilitation (improved performance), or brainstorming techniques (independent idea generation).
5. Step 5: Confirm that the best definition matches the phenomenon where the desire for harmony or conformity in a group results in irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcomes.