Home

Past Articles

Conferences

Citation Information

Feedback

About the Authors

Subscription Information

Submission Guidelines

Understanding Today’s Students: Combating Groupthink

By Julianne Scibetta, Albany College of Pharmacy

Were you one of the people blindsided by Time Magazine’s 2006 Person of the Year issue cover? I was – blinded, that is – by the shiny reflection, at least. Their whole concept of the consumer being the main focus is an exact reflection of the world that today’s students have lived in. It is a confirmation of the truth they have heard their entire lives – it’s about you, you, you. They/we control the media, advertising, the course of human events, and yes, even truthiness.

This is not a new concept, neither in modern sociological studies nor for this column. What Time confirmed for all of us is that unlike many fads and trends, consumer power isn’t going away anytime soon. This became startling clear to me even before the Time issue came out. I received a newsletter in the mail, as I do every month, from a reputable international bank. Among the articles was a fun sidebar listing state mottos. They cited Wikipedia. And they got some of the mottos wrong.

Wikipedia, if you don’t know, is a free internet encyclopedia that is edited by the online public at large. Part of its philosophy is that two-googleplex heads are better than one. Anytime you read an article you can click on the “edit” button, which then allows you to add clarification to details. Wikipedia reserves the right to review and refuse edits, and current cultural icons that may never have gotten attention in a “regular” encyclopedia now have their place in the web history. But it all hinges upon the reliance of the knowledge of the masses – that if we all say or believe it’s right, it must be right – even if it’s factually wrong.

Groupthink, which Time’s POTY issue so brilliantly ended on, is the concept behind Wikipedia. It’s taking the social contract to a new extreme and making it a real, embodied thing. I keep picturing Jean Luc Picard sitting around some oval table in his quarters, quietly considering what lays before him while rubbing his chin. Sudden he stands, nodding quickly and rapping his hand on the desk:

“Make it so.”

In this case, any man, woman, or child can be Jean Luc, and any piece of information can be made so.

That kind of groupthink – or “rationalized conformity” if you read Wikipedia’s entry - is how a few state mottos came to be incorrectly translated on my nationally-published newsletter.

Groupthink and misconception/misperception theories go hand in hand. Whatever one believes the group to believe is real, cannot be (rather, is not) disputed. We need it to function as a society, and it’s particularly helpful in creating a campus culture. But sometimes when groupthink goes in the wrong direction it can be hard for administrators to go against the flow. Just ask any alcohol and other drug counselor who’s ever turned blue from telling students about the disparity between the perception and the reality of how many students are consuming alcohol on a regular basis.

Let’s say that your learning center is underused. You decide to design an evaluation to find out why your numbers are down. You find out that: a) students think that the learning center is only for students who need remedial help, or b) there is a general belief that your tutors don’t know anything, or c) we have a learning center? You are shocked to find this gap and are now asked to develop a plan for combating it.

Information is power.

Gather your ammunition – the truth – and get ready to spread it. You can distribute this information through the most powerful means – word of mouth. Malcolm Gladwell’s exploration of creating trends, The Tipping Point, suggests finding a trendsetter to start the process – someone that students will look up to, admire, and follow. A natural-born leader, if you will. You are probably not that person, as much as you’d like to believe - but you’ll have at least one of these charismatic individuals in your student staff. Give this person what they need to spread the word, and you’ll have started the trend.

Another method to changing the culture is to influence future groupthink – market to the incoming new students. Changing images takes time; it doesn’t always happen overnight. Start with the impressionable young minds before they have a chance to be told otherwise. Use parent and summer orientation and mailings to your advantage, if you can. Get the word out as early as possible, when you have their attention the most. Keep your message consistent once they get on campus through your staff.

Faculty and staff play another role in this matter – they deserve the same truth and answers, and as central figures in the lives of students may be another way to influence the collective mind of your institution. Their belief in your center can make or break your business.

You and I both know that people are going to think what they want, regardless of our efforts to educate them otherwise. We toil on, however, because if we don’t, who will? Let’s keep alive and spread the passion to discover the truth, instead of settling for something truthy. If you will excuse me, then, I’m off to make a few corrections to the translation of Excelsior! – but I hope when I get there that I won’t have to.

Questions or comments? Contact the author at scibettj@acp.edu.

More about the author

Printable Version

Back to top