What term is used to describe a situation where group members may hold back their true opinions to avoid conflict?

The term "Groupthink" accurately describes the situation where group members may hold back their true opinions to avoid conflict. In a groupthink scenario, individuals prioritize consensus and harmony over critical evaluation of ideas, which can lead to poor decision-making. This phenomenon often occurs in cohesive groups where the desire for conformity suppresses dissenting viewpoints, potentially stifling creativity and leading to suboptimal outcomes.

The Abilene paradox, while related to decision-making dynamics, refers specifically to the tendency for groups to collectively agree on a course of action that does not reflect the true desires of the individual group members. In this case, members wrongly assume that others in the group favor a certain direction and therefore do not express their own reservations.

Group polarization occurs when group discussions lead members to adopt more extreme positions than they would individually. This can result in decisions that are riskier or more extreme, but it does not specifically address the phenomenon of withholding opinions to avoid conflict.

Escalation of commitment refers to the phenomenon where individuals continue to invest in a decision despite evidence suggesting that it is flawed or no longer viable, often because of the emotional investment already made.

Thus, the correct term highlighting the suppression of true opinions for the sake of avoiding conflict is "Groupthink."