Explain the nature of groupthink and illustrate the symptoms of groupthink. How can teams avoid groupthink?

Groupthink is the tendency for highly cohesive groups to lose their evaluative capabilities. Symptoms of groupthink are illusions of invulnerability, rationalising unpleasant and disconfirming data, belief in inherent group morality, stereotyping competitors as weak, evil and stupid, applying direct pressure to deviants to conform to group wishes, illusions of unanimity, mind guarding and self-censorship by members. Groupthink can be avoided by assigning the role of critical evaluator to each group member, leaders avoid being partial to one course of action and being absent from meetings at times to allow free discussion, creating sub-teams to work on the same problem and then sharing their proposed solutions, inviting outside experts to observe and react to group processes and decisions, assigning one member to play a 'devil's advocate' role at each team meeting and holding a 'second-chance' meeting after consensus is achieved to review the decision.