Groupthink and Hazing

                                                                                                         

What?

So I was sitting in Bible study last night and let’s just say that my Leadership Class was not on my mind.  I know… the class is quite interesting but… my brain was somewhere else.  When all of a sudden our guest professor, Dr. Robert Magee inserts into his talk – “the best way to combat groupthink is honest dissent”.  My mind immediately went back to our class readings and discussion on Groupthink and Social Identity Theory.  Groupthink occurs when individuals within a group are compelled to group agreement without taking into account alternative options or individual opinion.   Social Identity Theory, in part, focuses on the human desire to belong to and label/classify others into social groups.

So What?

As I was thinking about the impact of groupthink, I saw an article posted on a friend’s facebook page about a recent hazing incident at UC Berkley.  A pledge accused her sorority sisters of numerous accounts of hazing.  As a non-Greek, it made me wondered what would allow someone to endure being hit, mistreated and abused on several occasions.  I would like to think that my strong-will and low tolerance for pain would provide me with the strength to walk away after the first sign of hazing.  However after a quick search online, I found that 55% of college students experience some type of hazing and most of it goes unreported. Yep, they are keeping Silent!

College students are at an unique period in life.  They are adjusting to their new environment while at the same time coming to terms with their new found freedom.

Our reading on Social Identity Theory highlights, the desire to belong and fit it.  That innate desire, at times, places college students in a position to be influenced by groupthink.  They engage in behaviors or allow themselves to be abused because the “group” says this is what is suppose to happen or this is how I can fit in.  They can become “blindsided” to the warning signals going off in their head – that’s questioning if what is happening is really okay! 

Now What?

So what’s to be done?  Colleges and universities across the country have anti-hazing policies including Virginia Tech!  Along with the policies, workshop and trainings are offered and organizations like HazingPrevention.Org and StopHazing.Org are working to bring awareness, change laws and fight hazing.  We have to retrain young people that it okay to speak up and then provide a place where they can speak out!

So Dr. Magee was right “the best way to combat groupthink is honest dissent”.