Groupthink

Several days ago, I posted about the wisdom of the crowd, how larger numbers of people tend to be more accurate as a group than even bright individuals independent of the group.

There is a somewhat reverse phenomenon that psychologists have dubbed "groupthink." Groupthink is when the wisdom of group consensus is valued over individual critical evaluation. Not only is group consensus not always wise, sometimes it can be catastrophic. The following video points to the presence of groupthink in the catastrophic explosion of space shuttle Challenger on December 28, 1986.

So, how do you decide when you are better off following the crowd and when is it potentially harmful to do so?

I would say, when it's a guess, follow the crowd, but when the decision involves expertise, listen to the experts. The wisdom of the crowd is after all somewhat counterintuitive.

The Wisdom of the Crowd

I've always questioned the value of a democratic system. While from the liberal egalitarian perspective of allowing each man to have a say in the affairs of his community, the one-man-one-vote ideal seems only right. However, from the perspective of making wise decisions on policies involving national security, welfare, healthcare, taxation, the economy and national infrastructure, it would appear that such decisions should be left to the top two percent of intelligent society to make.

Why should an uneducated man with a low IQ and poor judgement be given the opportunity to choose who will hold the button to a nuclear detonator? In a sense, it appears like the democratic system could lead to disastrous outcomes. Why is it so virtuous? What is the logic behind it?

The following entertaining video demonstrates the wisdom of the crowd, how sheer numbers create a self-correcting mechanism with utmost precision and ingenuity unlike anything the wisest of individuals can conceive of singlehandedly. Enjoy!