Preventing Groupthink Risk through Deliberative Discussion: Further Experimental Evidence for a Social Identity Maintenance Model

This study examined the role of deliberative discussion strategies in improving group performance under conditions associated with groupthink. Three-person groups solved a complex decision task in one randomly assigned condition of a 2 (collective threat: low vs. high) by 2 (deliberative discussion strategies: none vs. provided) between-subjects design. All groups were also given a manipulation designed to induce high cohesion consistent with a social identity maintenance framework. Highly cohesive groups facing a collective threat produced poorer quality decisions (indicative of groupthink) when not provided with discussion strategies than groups in all other conditions. However, when provided with deliberative discussion strategies, highly cohesive groups facing a collective threat produced the highest quality decisions. Results were consistent with the social identity maintenance model of groupthink.