Group Dynamics – Collection

Even if everyone in the group agrees, that doesn't necessarily mean it's the best decision. When there's a persuasive leader, high levels of group cohesion, or external pressures to make the “right decision,” we can fall victim to a phenomenon called groupthink— consensus might actually be a result of conformity. 

Teamwork makes the dreamwork, right? Yes, if we can mitigate the consequences of groupthink. Encouraging dissent, clarifying the problem that needs solving, and being an open-minded leader are just a few principles to keep in mind to avoid groupthink, but still reap the benefits of working together.

Remember when toilet paper sales increased by roughly 250% during the pandemic? That was explained by herd behavior—when we decide to follow suit, often for no real rhyme or reason. Sometimes it's easier to simply follow the crowd, especially when faced with uncertain or ambiguous situations.

Ever laughed at a joke you didn't find funny just because everyone else did? Perhaps you even went further and convinced yourself that you did find it funny. In social situations, many of us match our beliefs and behaviors to group norms, regardless of our true attitudes, a phenomenon we refer to as group conformity. 

Sometimes we assume that our personal opinions are more widely accepted than they actually are. When we lack exposure to different viewpoints, our personal growth can be hindered, and we may fall victim to the false consensus effect. This can influence our decision-making skills and lead to an overestimation of our abilities. 

From cult membership to mob violence, psychologists have studied why we take part in a wide range of group behaviors, and a concept they've identified is deindividuation. It can be defined as the behavioral shift away from our own individual restraint toward the normative behavior of a group, changing what we may perceive as “acceptable” behavior. 

It was always felt like a win when we got paired with the smart kid in school for a group project—less work and a guaranteed good grade. But what if they were relying on you to pick up the slack, too? This is social loafing in action—when we exert less effort working in groups, resulting in a group's overall output being less than the sum of its parts.