Applying Psychology: Groupthink Analysis of the Bay of Pigs Invasion

This essay provides a detailed analysis of the Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961, exploring the event through the psychological concept of groupthink. It begins by outlining the historical context of the invasion, including the involvement of Cuban exiles and the aim to overthrow Fidel Castro's communist government. The essay then delves into how the Bay of Pigs invasion serves as a case study for groupthink, highlighting flawed decision-making processes and the failure to critically evaluate the plan's consequences. Furthermore, it discusses key lessons learned from the event, emphasizing the importance of critical evaluation, clear role definition, and feedback mechanisms in team settings. The essay concludes by suggesting strategies to counteract groupthink, such as promoting inclusive participation and encouraging diverse perspectives in decision-making to ensure sound outcomes.

Running head: PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note

1PSYCHOLOGY
Answer 1:
In the year 1961, about 1400 Cuban exiles launched an invasion ate the Bay of Pigs
located at the south coast of Cuba. The main goal of the Bay of Pigs invasion was to remove
Castro (who overthrew Cuban dictator) and establish a non-communist government. The
invasion took place on 17th April, 1961 when Cuban exile force landed at the Bay of Pigs. It was
a failed invasion as the Cuban exile force known as ‘Brigade 2506’ were defeated by Castro
within 3 days. Some escaped by sea and Castro killed or imprisoned the others who could not
escape. 1200 members had to surrender and about 100 were killed (Jfklibrary.org, 2018).
Answer 2
The Bay of Pigs invasion was planned to topple Fidel Castro, who had removed Cuban
dictator Fulgencio Batista and came to power in Cuba after an armed revolt in 1959. This plan
was made by Central Intelligence Agency and briefings related to the invasion were given to
John F. Kennedy to train Cuban exiles for invading their homeland (Juan et al., 2014).
Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon where group of people coming together for harmony
make irrational decision and fail to critically evaluate a decision. The Bay of Pigs invasion can
also be regarded as example of Group think because Kennedy took a flawed decision. He failed
to communicate to the Cuban exiles regarding the accountability of all members for the success
of their plan and he failed to critically analyze the consequences of a heterogeneous team. No
role was specified to the members and this resulted in failure of the invasion despite the large
size of the team.

2PSYCHOLOGY
Answer 3
The key lessons that the Bay of Pigs invasion has taught me is that while working and
planning any objective with a large group, critical evaluation of decision is necessary to promote
the success of group work. It is very important to analyze the objective as well as consequence of
each action. Each members of the team should be effectively briefed about their role and
feedback should also be taken from each member regarding their perception about any strategic
plan or activity.
Answer 5:
To counteract influence of group think, I will focus on participation of each member in
decision making. All members will be encouraged to give their feedback on the decision. This
will help members to feel valued and feelings biased leadership will not exist in such group. This
strategy will ensure that sound decision making takes place in the team.

3PSYCHOLOGY
Reference
Janis, I. L. (2015). Groupthink: The desperate drive for consensus at any cost. Classics of
organization theory, 161-168.
Jfklibrary.org. (2018). The Bay of Pigs - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum.
Retrieved 2 February 2018, from https://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/The-
Bay-of-Pigs.aspx
Juan, F. C. J. R. F., Guevara, A. B. C., Ameijeiras, E., Kennedy, J. F., Román, P., & Oliva, E.
(2014). Bay of Pigs Invasion. False Flags, Covert Operations, & Propaganda, 52.