Discuss This with Respect to the Effects of Suggestibility That Myers Writes About in Chapter

Not three weeks after the tragedies of September 11, 2001, anthrax-laced letters started showing up in the mail of U.S. legislators and members of the mass media. Workers at postal facilities that processed these letters, were also affected. The F.B.I was unable to detect where the threat was coming from, and the anxiety of apprehension of those living in the Capital region multiplied, as each new case of infection was announced. In all, five people died and 17 more became very ill. The ambiguity of the situation terrified the legislative community, and also the general public. Even those living in other states became afraid, they too might receive a deadly letter as well. Discuss this with respect to the effects of suggestibility that Myers writes about in Chapter 6. Be specific as to what aspects of suggestibility apply to the case. Suggestibility in people means that they will accept ideas and propositions uncritically and with conviction, in the absence of adequate logical grounds for its acceptance. The idea of being hurt by the anthrax operated powerfully upon the mental processes of the masses even when there was no reason to believe that a particular person was in any real danger. People tend to imitate the actions and emotions expressed bypeople who are near even if they are strangers.

In the case of the anthrax scare, the media exposure and the media confusion both increased the suggestibility effect and caused a lot of panic.