Addressing the influence of groupthink during ideation concerned with new applications of technology in society

Stephen Fox (Corresponding Author)

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

    13 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    As well as physical technology in society and digital technology in society, there is also technology in society within the non-conscious human mind. In particular, unconscious preference for least cognitive effort and subconscious preference for least social resistance can coincide in groupthink about technology in society, which include fads, hype, lock-ins, path dependencies and success traps. Ideation concerned with new applications of technology in society is often constrained by groupthink. In this paper, an exploratory study addressing the influence of these constraints on ideation is reported. The study involved use of nine science-based techniques across the “preparation-incubation-illumination-verification” model of ideation. Findings indicate that the constraining influence of groupthink can be reduced, but much work may be required to do so. Hence, it can be anticipated that technology in society within the non-conscious human mind will continue to exert influence over new applications of physical and virtual technology in society.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)86-94
    Number of pages9
    JournalTechnology in Society
    Volume57
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2019
    MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

    Funding

    The study reported in this paper was partially funding by EU grant 609027 . Graphics in Fig. 3 realized by Päivi Vahala Appendix A

    Keywords

    • Cognitive effort
    • Fads
    • Groupthink
    • Hype
    • Ideation
    • In-group
    • Lock-in
    • Non-conscious
    • Out-group
    • Path dependencies
    • Social resistance
    • Subconscious
    • Success traps
    • Unconscious

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