The night before the shuttle Challenger launch, an engineer for one of NASA's contractors brought up concerns over how cold it was projected to be the next day. When his manager and NASA managers discussed the issue, they collectively rationalized that temperature was not a problem, censored the engineer who initially had the concerns, and mistakenly believed they were in unanimous agreement that the launch should proceed. As a result, this team of engineers and managers experienced ________.
A) groupthink
B) transformative decision making
C) diffusion of responsibility
D) group polarization

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The scenario described fits the definition of groupthink, where a group of individuals prioritize consensus and harmony over critical thinking and analysis, leading to faulty decision-making. The group members in this situation censored or dismissed the concerns of the engineer, leading to a false sense of agreement and overconfidence in their decision to proceed with the launch.

The Night Before the Shuttle Challenger Launch, an Engineer for One