COMMON FLAWS IN DECISION MAKING

COMMON FLAWS IN DECISION MAKING par Darryl Tan

1. 1) shares illusion of its superiority & invulnerability

2. STEPS TO AVOID GROUP-THINKING

3. 4) break group into subgroups at key points

4. 3) assign 2 or more groups to work on a problem separately

5. 5) attempts to silence internal dissenters

6. 8 SYMPTOMS OF GROUP THINK

6.1. New Topic

7. 4) develops negative stereotypes of dissenters

8. 2) require members to discuss matters with others outside the group

9. 3) believes in the inherent molarity of its goal

10. 2) avoid & discounts information that calls into question

11. 1) accept criticisms of own actions

12. the information search process is often narrowed by the need to justify or explain previous choices

13. an aspect of cognitive dissonance theory & decision making

14. advantages: helps determine the important outlines of a problem

15. disadvantages: decision maker becomes blind to other decisions and limit decision making

16. COGNITIVE BOLSTERING

17. reduces complex choices into simplistic formulas

18. STEREOTYPING

19. 8) some members take role to protect leaders & group from dissenters

20. 7) group members do not speak opinions & just follow decision made

21. after announcing the commitment, it is hard to change mind

22. 6) group members censor own self-doubts

23. achieved by: exaggerating favourable consequences, minimizing unfavourable consequences, denying adverse feelings, minimizing personal responsibility

24. involves magnifying the value of a chosen action and denigrating the value of rejected alternatives

25. evidence proves that the action is a success or failure

26. after making a commitment, will use ways to make it work no matter what

27. ENTRAPMENT

28. negative side of commitment, whether a success or failure

29. avoids decision making through obsessional mulling over present information & options

30. another form of cognitive bolstering, involves suppressing or ignoring information which could require action , often used by lazy people

31. occurs when individuals commonly avoid decisions that have unpleasant choices or entails risks

32. DEFENSIVE AVOIDANCE