BBC: Do you think for yourself?

Neil- remember that staff meeting we had yesterday? Why did you agree to having decaff coffee in the kitchen when I know you don't like it... and neither do I!

I know. It's just that the boss said that decaffeinated coffee- that's coffee with the caffeine removed- was a good idea, healthier, you know. And then everyone else agreed. And I.. I don't know--- I just felt uncomfortable disagreeing with everyone. 

Well, it's interesting you should say that, Neil. Groupthink is the subject of today's show. Groupthink refers to the type of bad decisions we make when we are in  a group. Decisions that are contrary to- or against- what we really think. A psychology experiment conducted in the 1950s showed that a lot of people do exactly that- they submit to the will of the group. 

But before we hear more about this, now would be a good time for today's quiz question. And I get to ask you, Sophie!

OK, what is it?

In which story by Hans Christian Anderson does a young boy dare to tell the truth when everyone else goes along with an obvious lie? Is it...

a) The Red Shoes   b) The Snow Queen     or  c) The Emperor's New Clothes?

OK... I think it's c) The Emperor's New Clothes. 

Well, we'll find out later on in the show if that's right or not. Now, the psychologist Solomon Asch is well known for his conformity experiments from the 1950s. Can you tell us what 'conformity' means please, Sophie?

Conformity means behaviour that is the same as the way most other people behave. Asch's main finding was that group pressure can change a person's opinion, of even obvious facts. 

And waht did this Asch test involve?

123 male participants were shown a card with a line on it, followed by another card with three lines on it. The participants were then asked to say which line matched the line on the first care inn length. The right answer was plan to see, but the participants felt pressurized into saying the wrong answer. 

Why would they do that?

Because the majority of people taking part in the experiment had been told to give the wrong answer. Let's hear Professor Nick Chater's explanation. He works at the Warwick Business School here in the UK. 

By the time it comes to you a whole list of people have said something plainly wrong and you are either going to have to fold and say, 'well, I just agree with them' or you're going to rather uncomfortably say. 'well, I think it's one actually'.

And most people, most of the time, tend to fold. 

Professor Nick Chater. He uses the word fold, which means you give up. But, Sophie, if people are uncomfortable about  supporting the wrong answer, or something they don't believe in, why do they do it?

Becasue even though we feel uncomfortable going along with- or agreeing with- something we don't believe, we're even more uncomfortable about disagreeing with the group.

Well, I don't realize that people were such sheep. I have a will of steel, Sophie. 

Is that right? So, your will of steel- or strong determination- somehow melted away in the staff meeting yesterday, I suppose?

Oh well...of course... yes.