Group Thinking and Preconceptions and Biases

Most difficult or confusing ideas from Chapter 8:
1 I find that “groupthink” was confusing in this chapter, considering the concept of quorum.
2 A difficult idea from Chapter 8 is that members set aside preconceptions and biases. I think this is hard to achieve because sometimes preconceptions and biases make up what one knows, and it is difficult to set it aside when one does not have the full information.
Most controversial or hard to accept ideas from Chapter 8:
1 I found it hard to accept that people can just set aside preconceptions and biases.
2 I found giving all necessary information a bit controversial because not all information is available all the time, especially when considering what the collective does not know (e.g., information that was not available to them previously).
Suggestions for improving Chapter 8:
1 To improve Chapter 8, more concrete examples should be presented, such as case studies. Readers can grasp the application of concepts in Chapter 8 more easily when put into familiar contexts.
2 Chapter 8 should give an overview of other tools for decision-making and problem-solving, like some mathematics and statistics-based programs used by many researchers in assessing data.
Most important or useful ideas from Chapter 8:
1 The Standard Agenda
2 Elements of Group Decisions
3 Different perspectives on how decisions and solutions may not be the optimal ones for every situation/problem
Most important Chapter 8 Skills and/or attitudes to develop:
1 Eliminating Biases and preconceptions
2 Clear analysis of problems and devising methods to implement solutions
Questions gener...