Answer to Question 1
Janis (1971) has prescribed several antidotes for groupthink. For example, the leader of a group should encourage constructive criticism, be impartial, and ensure that members seek input from people outside the group. The group should form subgroups that meet separately to consider alternative solutions to a single problem. It is important that the leader take responsibility for preventing spurious conformity to a group norm.
Answer to Question 2
When we have more alternatives than we can consider in the time available, we sometimes use a different strategy. In a process of elimination by aspects, we eliminate alternatives by focusing on aspects of each alternative, one at a time, instead of mentally manipulating all the weighted attributes of all the available options. If you are trying to decide which elective course to take next semester, the process of elimination by aspects might look like this:
Focus on one aspect (attribute) of the various options (time available based on other courses);
Form a minimum criterion for that aspect (maximum number of hours per week on elective course, e.g. 6);
Eliminate all options that do not meet that criterion (e.g., Course A will take 8 hours per week );
For the remaining options, select a second aspect for which we set a minimum criterion by which to eliminate additional options (must add to resume); and
Continue using a sequential process of elimination of options by considering a series of aspects until a single option remains.
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Introduction to Behavioral Research Methods, 6/E