English Explanatory Dictionary

Abilene paradox

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The situation where a group of people collectively decide on a course of action that goes against the preferences of many or all of the individuals in the group, because the individuals choose to side with what they believe is the majority preference.

Word forms

Abilene paradox Abilene paradoxes

Etymology

Introduced by Jerry B. Harvey in his 1974 article "The Abilene Paradox: The Management of Agreement", which described the example of a group deciding to travel to Abilene, Texas, for dinner.

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