A comprehensive empirical investigation of the relationships among variables of the groupthink model

Although a quarter of a century has passed since Janis proposed his groupthink model in 1972, there is very little consensus among researchers on the validity of the model. This study conducted a comprehensive empirical investigation of Janis's model by including all 24 variables in the research. Data were collected from 64 four‐person ad hoc groups; the group discussion sessions were videotaped and content‐analysed afterwards. Statistical analyses revealed that Janis's predictions about the causal relationship among four groups of variables in the model are only partially correct; when the effects of individual independent variables on the dependent variables were tested, Janis's predictions were confirmed in only two out of 23 cases. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.