Answer to Question 1
Janis (1971) delineated six symptoms of groupthink:
1 . Closed mindednessthe group is not open to alternative ideas.
2 . Rationalizationthe group goes to great lengths to justify both the process and the product of its decision making, distorting reality where necessary in order to be persuasive.
3 . Squelching of dissentthose who disagree with the group are ignored, criticized, or even ostracized.
4 . Formation of a mindguard for the groupone person appoints himself or her- self the keeper of the group norm and ensures that people stay in line.
5 . Feeling invulnerablethe group believes that it must be right, given the intelligence of its members and the information available to them.
6 . Feeling unanimousmembers believe that everyone unanimously shares the opinions expressed by the group.
Answer to Question 2
In representativeness, we judge the probability of an uncertain event according to the following:
1 . How obviously it is similar to or representative of the population from which it is derived; and
2 . The degree to which it reflects the salient features of the process by which it is generated.
Most of us at least occasionally use the availability heuristic, in which we make judgments on the basis of how easily we can call to mind what we perceive as relevant instances of a phenomenon.
Symptoms of mineral deficiencies.
An example of a selection list used to identify symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms of Shock Following a Crisis Situation
How Americans Identify with Religion
Critical Pediatric Symptoms Indicating Need for Assessment and Possible Intervention
Symptoms That May Lead to a Diagnosis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder