Event Safety Insights Issue Three | Spring 2017 | Page 29

Another fair question to ask is if we were in that position how
would we have reacted?
Another important and pervasive bias is confirmation bias. A
definition of confirmation bias is a cognitive bias that caus-
es a tendency to selectively collect information that supports
one’s preexisting beliefs while discounting information that
may contradict it. This process is irrational but most people
want to believe what they believe. It feels wrong to look for
information that would contradict our beliefs. It is most prev-
alent when strong emotions are tied to a belief or when be-
liefs are deeply ingrained. How many times have we heard
“I have been doing it that way for 20 years and nothing has
happened?” Shifting that thinking to a better or safer way can
be a challenge.
Acknowledging stress, bias and our process of thinking is an
important first step in resolving some of these issues. Another
important step is acknowledging how the right type of ed-
ucation can help prepare us to handle the stress during an
emergency. There are three basic types of learning: auditory,
visual and kinesthetic or experiential. Most would agree that
experiential learning may provide the best means for prepar-
ing us to handle a crisis and the stress introduced when under
duress. The military, airline pilots, police, and firefighters to
name a few all use experiential learning to some degree to
help immerse their people in simulated emergency situations
to better prepare them when in a crisis.
To shift the paradigm of safety we must become aware of
the affects stress and bias have on our thinking. We need to
better understand how we will react when in a crisis. We also
must employ the right type of training that best prepares us to
react appropriately in crisis or when simply stressed by factors
such as limited time. Education and training may also provide
insight into who is, and who is not capable of handling the
stress that is induced in emergency situations.
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