Group Think - Thought of in a New Way
May 28, 2026
by Donna Hemann
I remember learning the term 'group think' in college and appreciating how pervasive a phenomenon it was in daily life. If it's not fresh in your mind, the term refers to a psychological phenomenon whereby members of a group suppress their own and other's alternatives for consensus over critical thinking. It's a weakness of many groups--boards of big companies, federal agencies, and small entities such as volunteer groups where dollars are not even a consideration. It's part of the mammalian condition (and likely that of insects and other classes of animals too); we want to get along with minimal conflict. It's usually considered a slippery slope--something to watch out for and manage carefully.
In May, University Heights Neighborhood Association began working on its Neighborhood Plan. This plan is in partnership with the City of Springfield which will be making plans for all registered neighborhoods regardless if we participate or not, so it benefits us to contribute to this effort.
The neighborhood plan asks us to identify three things: features of our neighborhood that are important to preserve (answers from our first meeting May 12 include: e.g. the Waterwise garden on Linwood and residential zoning in some areas) features that we would like to change (e.g. more pedestrian crossings on Sunshine, safer intersections, aesthetic improvements such as street medians on Sunshine with plantings and art installations on open land) and ideas for growth (a new park, a park and town home combination, and new businesses or restaurants in locations such as The Executive Office Center, a business park just past Jefferson on our Sunshine border with many vacancies, and the BK&M properties if zoning changes).
For the purposes of collecting data from residents, the neighborhood is broken up into sections with correlating focus groups. My group is the 'south' and we collected some interesting data. A large majority of attendees commented they would like the residential green perimeter of our original neighborhood preserved. A majority said they would like to see an increase in participation in eco-conscious programs. Several commented that if the zoning for the BK&M properties changed they would find a business center with professional offices in an architectural style harmonious with our perimeter housing (such as Colonial or Early American) an option with low negative consequences as compared with other options. Many of us in the neighborhood are hopeful the pending legal case will land in favor of preserving our zoning status, but in the event that eventually there is a change, we will have ideas on the back burner.
Two new ideas brought forward for the neighborhood are the concept of creating an art gateway to the new art museum by partnering with volunteer residents and other sources to place art installations throughout the neighborhood, including at the southeast entrance where BK&M owns land, and if the zoning changes on the BK&M properties, a "Central Park style" town home concept, where a handful of town homes surround a park that is for University Heights residents and possibly Springfield residents. Both outside the box ideas with potential to create really interesting outcomes.
We collected a lot of data on May 12 and will be surveying neighbors in each section in the coming weeks. Later we will compile the data for the three questions we are responding to.
The data from my group's meeting, and the dynamics that played out in that meeting, underscore two important things: it is important to be aware of the group-think tendency, and to consciously guide and encourage broad thinking, openness, and flexibility. The south sector might be tempted to focus on the corner, or even one idea for the corner, but that would be limiting. We have the opportunity to get really creative about that space and everything else we like in the neighborhood and want to grow! We can flip group think to think group, and embrace all the possibilities many minds can imagine. Those possibilities can merge and create a new thing, or various new things. As someone who appreciates all forms of art, I love the idea of seeing sculpture spotting the yards and green spaces, from our south border up to the Museum. I see future partnerships with the Museum and other groups. I envision such a thing as a future UHN signature-- a distinguishing mark that excites people when they drive through or by, and attracts visitors and would-be residents. Though most everyone in our south group emphasized they want our original neighborhood to remain residential, if a deal were made to build non single family, ideas such as the business center or the Central Park idea can merge with the art and green space ideas to create something in keeping with our values. The other sections of our neighborhood are brainstorming about what they envision as potential areas for improvement and positive change too, and when we put it all together I have no doubt we will make an impact that strengthens UH and adds to our quality of life.
Possibilities for our neighborhood are limited only by our imaginations. Crosswalks on Sunshine, more art in the neighborhood, center medians with landscaping, a cool new restaurant in that mostly-empty business park where neighbors could eat without crossing Sunshine or National. Food for thought.
Let's get curious, get involved, and be a Think Group for the benefit of our present and our future!
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PS: The next planning sessions take place during our open Board meetings, June 9th and July 14th, from 6:00-7:30 pm at National Avenue Christian Church in the neighborhood.
