Groupthink: Psychological Studies of Policy Decisions and FiascoesGroupthink - the psychological drive for consensus at any cost that suppresses disagreement and prevents the appraisal of alternatives in cohesive decision-making groups. In the first edition (Victims of groupthink), Iriving L. Janis showed how this phenomenon contributed to some of the major U.S. foreign policy fiascos of recent decades: the Korean War stalemate, the escalation of the Vietnam War, the failure to be prepared for the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the Bay of Pigs blunder. He also examined cases, such as the handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the formulation of the Marshall Plan, where groupthink was avoided. Here, in this revised and expanded edition, Janis applies his hypothesis to the Watergate cover-up, portraying in detail how groupthink helped to put the participants on a disastrous couurse and keep them there. In addition, he presents some fresh ideas on how and why groupthink occurs and offers suggestions for avoiding it. |
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Page 138
These plans involved taking further graduated steps toward more direct forms of
military action , possibly resorting to air strikes against the missile sites or even
an invasion of Cuba . Before taking further action , however , the committee ...
These plans involved taking further graduated steps toward more direct forms of
military action , possibly resorting to air strikes against the missile sites or even
an invasion of Cuba . Before taking further action , however , the committee ...
Page 148
After the members had decided that a blockade would be much less risky than a
direct air attack on Cuba or a full - scale invasion , the members continued to
discuss the possibility that the blockade might fail and leave the United States in
an ...
After the members had decided that a blockade would be much less risky than a
direct air attack on Cuba or a full - scale invasion , the members continued to
discuss the possibility that the blockade might fail and leave the United States in
an ...
Page 319
... this chapter is Jones ' The Fifteen Weeks , which gives a detailed account of
the making of the Marshall Plan , based on Jones ' direct observations as an
insider in the State Department and the internal documents to which he had
access .
... this chapter is Jones ' The Fifteen Weeks , which gives a detailed account of
the making of the Marshall Plan , based on Jones ' direct observations as an
insider in the State Department and the internal documents to which he had
access .
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Contents
The Wrong | 3 |
The Making of the Marshall Plan | 159 |
How Clever | 198 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
accepted according action administration Admiral advisers alternative American appears asked assumptions attack avoid Bay of Pigs become called Chiefs cohesive Committee concerning consensus consequences continued course cover-up crisis critical Cuba Cuban danger Dean decision decision-making Defense deliberations Department direct discussion effect errors evidence example Executive expected fact factors feel fiasco forces give going groupthink Haldeman invasion involved issues Japanese Johnson judgment Kennedy leader leading major March meetings military missile moral Nixon norms North objections officers operation participants Pearl Harbor policy-making political position possible present President pressures probably problem procedures proposed questions responsible result risks role says Secretary seems Senator shared social Soviet staff stress strong suggested thinking threat tion transcripts Truman United UNIVERSITY Vietnam warning Watergate White House
References to this book
Bibliographic information
| Title | Groupthink: Psychological Studies of Policy Decisions and Fiascoes |
| Author | Irving Lester Janis |
| Edition | 2, illustrated, revised |
| Publisher | Houghton Mifflin, 1982 |
| Original from | the University of California |
| Digitized | 30 Jan 2007 |
| ISBN | 0395317045, 9780395317044 |
| Length | 349 pages |
| Subjects | › Psychology / Social Psychology |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |