In groupthink theory, a mindguard is a member of a group who serves as an informational filter, providing limited information to the group and, consciously or subconsciously, utilizing a variety of strategies to control dissent and to direct the decision-making process toward a specific, limited range of possibilities.[1] The presence of mindguards within a group is one of eight main "symptoms" of groupthink identified by its original theorist, Irving Janis.[2] Mindguards can be self-appointed,[2] and multiple mindguards are frequently present in groupthink situations.

The techniques utilized, consciously or subconsciously, by mindguards include:

Mindguards exist in a variety of group settings.[citation needed] They are not always easy to identify, which adds to the difficulty in countering the phenomenon.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Evans, Martin G. (January 24, 1981). "'Group Think' can be disastrous". Letter to the Editor. Financial Post. Toronto. Archived from the original on 2015-10-02. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
  2. ^ a b Janis, I. L. (November 1971). "Groupthink" (PDF). Psychology Today. 5 (6): 43–46, 74–76. Archived from the original on April 1, 2010.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ Chi, Thomas; Chien, Shiao; Lai, Phillina; Paez, Andy; Switzer, Margaret; Underwood, Baxter, "The Theory of Groupthink Applied to Nanking", in Cook, Karen; Cooper, Robin (eds.), Critical Eye on Nanking, retrieved 2022-03-20