Janis' symptoms of groupthink

Janis' symptoms of groupthink occur when a cohesive group prioritizes agreement over critical thinking, leading to poor decisions. Symptoms include an illusion of invulnerability, creating excessive optimism and risk-taking; collective rationalization, dismissing warnings; belief in inherent morality, justifying actions; stereotyping outsiders; self-censorship to avoid conflict; direct pressure on dissenters; and an illusion of unanimity, masking disagreements. These behaviors cause the group to ignore alternatives and overlook potential dangers, increasing the likelihood of flawed or risky decisions due to suppressed critical analysis and convergence on consensus despite concerns.