ASC ASC Decision Making & Group Dynamics 2

Question 1

The 'expert halo' heuristic trap in backcountry groups refers to the tendency to:

Accepted Answer

Defer all risk judgments to the most credentialed person present

Answer

The expert halo causes group members to suppress their own observations and defer uncritically to someone perceived as an authority, potentially allowing hazards to go unaddressed.

Question 2

Which pre-trip planning element is considered MOST critical for minimizing decision-making errors once a group is in avalanche terrain?

Accepted Answer

Establishing clear turnaround criteria and decision triggers before departure

Answer

Pre-established decision triggers (e.g., specific danger ratings or observed red flags) reduce in-the-moment cognitive bias and ensure consistent, pre-committed responses.

Question 3

When a group member observes a recent natural avalanche but the group leader wants to proceed, the BEST action under ASC protocols is to:

Accepted Answer

Raise the observation formally as a red flag and recommend reassessment of the plan

Answer

ASC protocols require that any red flag observation trigger a formal reassessment; recent natural avalanche activity is among the most reliable indicators of instability.

Question 4

The term 'summit fever' in avalanche safety decision-making describes the tendency to:

Accepted Answer

Allow goal commitment to override objective hazard assessment

Answer

Summit fever causes individuals and groups to discount risk signals because the desire to achieve an objective overrides rational safety evaluation.

Question 5

How does group size primarily affect decision quality in avalanche terrain according to ASC human factors principles?

Accepted Answer

Smaller groups tend toward better individual accountability while larger groups increase social pressure risks

Answer

Larger groups can amplify social proof and herding behavior, while smaller groups maintain individual accountability and more direct communication.

(ASC) Avalanche Safety Certification Practice Test

(ASC) Avalanche Safety Certification Practice Test

ASC ASC Decision Making & Group Dynamics 2