These are characteristics of most all groups, especially highly charged political parties which are easily recognized here. Note the silence of individuals plays a key role in conformity. Speak up!

Collective Rationalization reminds me of the "group think" that led America to war against Iraq (per the neoconservatives preconceived plans), even though it did not harbor terrorists or attack the U.S., just because Bush and Cheney, after 9/11, said so.

This same "group think" is within the entire story of 9/11 and the Collective Rationalization for a continued "war on terrorism" to invade other countries at will. GROUP THINK MUST BE CHALLENGED TO PREVENT UNJUST WARS.

Number 8 (did not have room to clip) is here:

Mindguards: Some members appoint themselves to the role of protecting the group from adverse information that might threaten group complacency.

That may as well be the founding manifesto of the modern Republican Party.

GROUP THINK MUST BE CHALLENGED TO PREVENT UNJUST WARS.

Also known as mob psychology. And it is not the sole purview of republicans everybody is susceptible to it. Group think (the mob) must always be challenged to stop the corruption of power and the oppression of the minority. The Constitution was enacted because of the recognition that power in the hands of the majority or the government will, in all cases, tend to corrupt. Group think is how that corruption begins.

Propaganda fuels and reflects all this, and it does not help that the MSM is not unbias (witness their parroting the justifications for war, Iraq, Iran, etc.).

Group Think can be seen, however, in both and most all parties, because they protect the party against all criticism, blindly instead of considering strictly each argument or issue.

All pure Partisanship IS Group Think on steroids.