Group Think and the Perils of Rule-Based Systems

Barry Beith / Human Factors

David Brooks, a columnist for the New York Times contributed an article to the Sunday News & Observer on March 21, 2010.  He wrote well of the contrast between individual thinking, person-to-person, perspectives and decision–making and what he called “group think.”  He points out that individual thinking is driven by the tendencies of fairness, embarrassment, social propriety, kindness, and an understanding for and defense of the “underdog.”  Group think, on the other hand, reflects our tendencies for “us v them” thinking and reflects historical shame fests such as the Jews v Nazis, Tutsis v Hutus, and Shiites v Sunnis.  The contrast, is brilliantly mapped onto our current political theatre, and, for many, is a truly scary scenario when taken to its logical extreme outcome.

The concept of “Group think”, however is even more ominous when viewed in the inevitable context and outcome of another psychological (human factors) principle developed and expressed by a researcher and human behaviorist named Jens Rasmussen, a European, Danish specifically, who proposed and wrote elaborately on a structure of human performance based on skill-rule-knowledge distinctions.  The focus and connection here is the level of performance based on “rule”-based behavior.

Under “rule”-based behavior, people perform tasks based on consistently applied sets of rules, procedures, policies, perspectives, and philosophies that dictate specifically how they will act and react, interpret and define, situations.  The problem with such perspectives and approaches is that they often represent an inflexible, externally controlled thinking that feeds into “group think.”   In effect, the person abandons their owns perspective and decision-making capability in favor of the established “rules” of engagement in order to avoid the typical accompanying game I refer to as “bet your license.”   Under this set of rules, if you think differently, decide on your own, think outside “the box”, and are wrong (or perceived to be) you lose your job, reputation, or life.

I have long complained about our tendencies to move in this direction because we are creating an almost endless file of bad decisions, an enormous set of examples of people in positions of responsibility who will not, or worse, cannot, apply their training, experience, or pure intelligence to situations and, hopefully, innovate our perspective as a group in some enlightening way.  Now we must answer the question being begged, “Why?”

Unfortunately we are too often led not by the “best and brightest” but rather by the hobgoblins whose little minds prefer rules and policies that provide a false sense of consistency, conformity, and removal of responsibility based on our ability to place blame for mistakes elsewhere.  As we have so often heard, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”  Ignore the connection between people and guns or blame it on the intent of forefathers who made the rules and then conveniently died centuries ago.  A more modern day example that hits home is to examine the rules that govern our members of Congress regarding their benefits, retirement, and behavior.  It doesn’t take long to see how convenient and beneficial “rule”-based performance can be and the disasterous “group think” behaviors such philosophies generate.

Mr. Brooks is dead-on in his observation but the foundation of group think is based on the far more insidious need to “pass the buck” and avoid responsibility.  Think about it the next time Congress gives itself a raise by citing the needs of the remainder of the bureaucracy and military, the laws passed by others lawmakers years ago, or the clever rule that allows raises to be passed by “Not” voting for them directly so you look like a better, less greedy leader.

Group think and rule-based behavior.  A recipe for the destruction of America.

1. Kate

   “Group think” is a concept also discussed by James Surowieki in his book, “The Wisdom of Crowds.” We read this book in a class in the MS program in Tech Comm over at NCSU. Surowieki warns against crowds of similar people making decisions. Basically, he calls for diversity in groups, such as in a work environment. To flip it to another angle, think of “group think” and “rule”-based behavior taking place not among the masses, but in the actual organizations. That is where the real danger lies because policies do not get changed, etc.

   Enjoyed the post. Thanks!

   04.08.2010

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