Groupthink and transactive memory

Groupthink is a group dynamic that can develop in which consensus is encouraged and any sort of conflict is avoided. An obvious problem with groupthink is that decision making can have more to do with powerful personalities than convincing argument or well thought decision-making. People tend to take the path of least-resistance, and so an idea that might seem illogical or even dangerous to someone outside the group could appear perfectly rational in the context of the group's stifled discussion. When I was thinking about surveillance and groupthink, I was reminded of the book 1984. The groupthink that was so prevalent in that society was tied directly to the heavy surveillance that permeated society. This is a danger in our own society, as well, though hopefully not the extent of 1984. The government has admittedly been engaged in more surveillance in the last 7 years, and the concern with that is that it will discourage open discussion about things that might not be deemed "appropriate" in mainstream society.

Transactive memory refers to the types of grouping of memory that members of a group engage in. Different people in a group possess different areas of specialized knowledge, and people within groups can help other members remember facts by triggering memories with their own knowledge. This sort of system can be efficient, because it allows for a greater depth of knowledge in a group. More knowledge can be packed into a group. On the other hand, if transactive memory is going to be relied on, there needs to be familiarity with other members of the group, because otherwise, there could be huge and important holes in knowledge.