Group psychology and my poor judgement contributed to this minor incident. I had some reluctance about skiing in this area, and about this slope, but skied it anyway. I was feeling a bit of (unstated, and possibly imagined) group pressure. A cornice was easily available to drop on the slope, but I did not avail of this test, nor did I make a slope cut. It was all my own doing. Clues to instability were all around me: a foot of new snow, wind loading, spontaneous sluffing, and new snow sliding on crust. The new snow sluffed just below the ridgeline, leaving a (estimated size) 12-14 inch crown. The sluff knocked me down, carried me a short distance, and I was not buried. The underlying firm layer allowed me to dig my skis and poles in, and I hung on, while the sluff passed me. The pressure I felt from this small slide was impressive; much more and I would not have been able to hold on. No injuries, other than to my pride and faith in my judgement. I submit this observation only to point out how a series of judgement and procedural errors by a normally careful, conservative and experienced skier (me), resulted in a short ride in a moderate sized sluff.