The illusion of consensus achieved through a process that appears rigorously rational. The group uses shared tools—cost-benefit analyses, decision matrices, weighted voting—but the inputs (assumptions, criteria, data selection) are unconsciously shaped by shared biases. Because the process feels objective, the outcome is unquestioned. This is common in corporate boards, engineering teams, and policy think tanks.
Rational Groupthinking Example: A tech company's board uses a sophisticated scoring system to decide which project to fund. All members agree on the rational criteria (market size, development cost). However, their Rational Groupthink leads them to all weight "market size" based on the same Silicon Valley hype-cycle reports, causing them to unanimously invest in a metaverse project that ultimately flops, while ignoring a less-hyped but solid AI tool.
by Dumuabzu February 5, 2026
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