Which statement best describes group think?

Groupthink refers to a phenomenon that occurs within a group of people where the desire for harmony and conformity results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. In such situations, individuals prioritize consensus over critical evaluation of alternatives. This often leads to collective poor decision making, as critical viewpoints are suppressed or ignored.

The essence of option B accurately captures the central issue with groupthink: the negative impact of group dynamics on the quality of decisions made by the team. When a group is too cohesive and pressures members to conform, critical analysis is often stifled, leading to choices that might not be the best or most rational.

The other options either describe scenarios that do not accurately reflect the dynamics of groupthink or present an overly simplistic understanding of decision-making. Individual decision-making based solely on personal beliefs does not encompass the collaborative nature of groupthink. Encouraging critical thinking within teams is contrary to the concept of groupthink, which inherently discourages dissent. Additionally, suggesting that group members always agree ignores the subtle pressures and dynamics that can lead to the illusion of consensus while masking underlying disagreements.