The joker or clown uses humor to divert group from task. Members must learn role flexibility. C. Groups must guard against groupthink, a situation that occurs when groups become over confident. Groupthink is a mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group, when the members' strivings for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action. There are several symptoms of groupthink.
Members believe in the morality of their own group.
They hold shared stereotypes of outsiders. Problems are dismissed with collective rationalization. Doubts are self-censored so that an illusion of unanimity occurs. By assigning members to act as devil's advocates and by holding second chance meetings, members can guard against groupthink. Groups go through identifiable phases.