Groupthink

I believe over time there have been many instances when I, Taryn Califano, have succumbed to the notorious Groupthink response. I know for a fact there have been countless incidents in elementary on up through highschool. The prime example I can think of would be when we would review for tests in groups. As a group you would have to come up with answers. Of course when in a group situation I never think of myself as the smartest one of the group. Because of this I would rarely offer an answer I truly believed to be correct. Instead I waited quiet as a mouse for someone else in the group to come up with an answer. If it was comparable to mine well then hey, good job for me. However, if their answer was different than my unspoken one, I would not argue. I would not argue even if I secretly doubted that persons answer. Why did I do this. Well, I guess I just didn't want to be judged in the eyes of my peers if my answer was shot down or wrong.

Fortunately for me this was only usually a common thing for me in elementary-middle school. By the time I got to high school it was easier for me to communicate my thoughts and stand up for myself a little more. While at times a 'groupthink' answer seemed the easiest way out, I realized that it is just that: easy. It became more clear to me that controversy is needed for complete understanding of the situation at hand. As I've grown older I've begun to really despise 'groupthink.' So what if what you think is totally off base? Your just testing a new theory. The worst that can happen is that you have an enlightening discussion why that theory is wrong or incorrect. Groupthink can happen anywhere whether it is some silly game in school or in the workplace. It's important to voice your opinion. Who knows, maybe yours is great. You'll never know if you are always rely on Groupthink.