What does the term "groupthink" refer to?

The term "groupthink" refers to a situation where group members prioritize achieving consensus over engaging in critical analysis of ideas or decisions. In this phenomenon, the desire for harmony and agreement among the group members can lead to poor decision-making as individuals suppress their own dissenting opinions and fail to challenge the group's prevailing views. This often results in a lack of thorough evaluation of alternative options, overlooking potential risks, and a tendency to ignore outside information that may contradict the group's thinking. Essentially, groupthink can detrimentally affect a group's ability to make well-informed decisions, as the pursuit of unanimity takes precedence over critical scrutiny.