Mindguard
Member of a group who serves as an informational filter
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. The presence of mindguards within a group is one of eight main "symptoms" of groupthink identified by its original theorist, Irving Janis. Mindguards can be self-appointed, and multiple mindguards are frequently present in groupthink situations.
The techniques utilized, consciously or subconsciously, by mindguards include:
- time pressure in regard to decision-making
- bandwagon effect/information cascades
- reframing situations to increase pressure toward or away from a specific outcome
- creating a sense that group cohesion will suffer if unanimity is lacking
- other techniques.
Mindguards exist in a variety of group settings. They are not always easy to identify, which adds to the difficulty in countering the phenomenon.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Mindguard”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
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