It's out there, it takes a variety of shapes, seems to lock onto the more selfish motivations. I have called it corruption, or the program, and certainly other things depending on the type of presentation I am dealing with.
Communication helps fight it. Keeping a level head, not letting it stir up trouble where there needn't be any. Watching it sidelong seems to be the best way to track it directly. More often I try to track the types of presentation. Irrational insecurities popping up in detrimental ways, or common themes of issues. I also take note of sudden changes in group dynamics, and try to discern whether there are underlying issues coming to a head, or if someone was getting somewhere with their efforts and got the attention of the "program."
I especially watch for pressure on folks fighting in the AoR. Common themes show up more regularly there, and it's an easier place to cross reference the intuitive leads I get on the topic than the mundane world usually provides. It's an interesting thing to watch, and I find my work is more effective if I take the current tactics at play into account.