Stay ConnectedHuman factors is a critical topic within the world of SCUBA diving, scientific diving, military diving, and commercial diving. This podcast is a mixture of interviews and ‘shorts’ which are audio versions of the weekly blog from The Human Diver.
Each month we will look to have at least one interview and one case study discussion where we look at an event in detail and how human factors and non-technical skills contributed (or prevented) it from happening in the manner it did.
Copyright: © 2023 (c) The Human Diver 2023
In this episode, we explore the Dunning-Kruger effect, a cognitive bias where people with limited skills or knowledge in a particular area tend to overestimate their abilities, while those with more expertise may underestimate their competence. This effect explains why some new divers might think they’re better than they are, while more experienced divers might not realize how skilled they’ve become. We discuss how continuous learning and staying humble can help us accurately assess our abilities, leading to safer and more effective diving practices.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the-dunning-kruger-effect-incompetent-or-competent-and-unaware
Links: Kruger and Dunning- Unskilled and Unaware https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12688660_Unskilled_and_Unaware_of_It_How_Difficulties_in_Recognizing_One%2527s_Own_Incompetence_Lead_to_Inflated_Self-Assessments&ved=2ahUKEwi-8Z2f2p6HAxUmV6QEHYb0CUEQFnoECBEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2M00VJJpL1TSHlK-6bZ-Pl
The four stages of learning https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the-four-stages-of-learning
Tags: English, Cognitive Biases, Jenny Lord
In this episode, we explore the challenges of explaining decisions to others, especially when they don’t share the same knowledge or experience. Jenny recounts a personal story about deciding not to dive a local canyon system again due to safety concerns, despite it seeming straightforward to others. The incident highlights the importance of situational awareness, good communication, and building a shared mental model within a dive team to ensure everyone understands the reasons behind decisions. This helps prevent misunderstandings and promotes safer diving practices.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/decision-making-how-do-we-explain-our-decisions-to-others
Links: The Dunnig Kruger effect https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/incompetent-and-unaware-you-don-t-know-what-you-don-t-know
Briefing and Debriefing video https://youtu.be/JTM_Lh7HtmA?si=H4ZSo4AiIQlpZn_e&t=585
The DEBrIEF model https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/debriefing
Tags: English, Brief, Debrief, Decision Making, Decision-Making, Jenny Lord, Teamwork
In this episode, we discuss a personal diving incident where I ran out of gas underwater—a situation that could have been fatal but wasn't due to quick thinking and luck. The experience highlights the dangers of complacency and the importance of maintaining situational awareness, even during routine dives. We explore how easily small oversights can lead to critical mistakes and the value of debriefing and sharing experiences to learn from them. This incident serves as a reminder that staying vigilant, especially when things seem routine, is crucial to safety in diving and beyond.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/running-out-of-gas-why-does-this-happen-and-how-can-we-prevent-it
Links: Outcome bias blog https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/its-obvious-why-it-happened
Counterfactuals blog https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/shoulda-woulda-coulda
Complacency and Efficiency blog https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/complacency-and-efficiency
Blame vs Learning blog https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/blame-vs-learning
Tags: English, Cognitive Biases, Complacency, Counterfactuals. Hindsight Bias, Incident Analysis, Jenny Lord, Situation Awareness, Situational Awareness
In this episode, we explore the illusory truth effect, where repeated information, even if false, can become ingrained in our beliefs. This cognitive bias can be reinforced by social media echo chambers, making it difficult to separate fact from fiction. The effect is particularly strong when the information aligns with what we already believe, making us more likely to accept it without question. We discuss how this phenomenon affects not just everyday life but also diving practices, where long-held "common knowledge" can be hard to change. The key to overcoming this bias is to question information, especially when it supports our existing beliefs, and to seek out diverse perspectives to challenge our assumptions.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/illusory-truth-effect
Links: Blog about the backfire effect https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the-backfire-effect-why-our-brains-make-it-difficult-to-change-our-mind
Repeated studies inducing false memories https://web.archive.org/web/20161231091706/http://ejop.psychopen.eu/article/viewFile/456/pdf
Tags: English, Cognitive Biases, Jenny Lord
In this episode, we dive into the issue of diving standards and safety, particularly how some instructors may not follow proper procedures, putting students at risk. Unlike other outdoor sports, the underwater environment makes it difficult to monitor and ensure that standards are upheld. This episode explores why this might be happening, such as the pressure on instructors to certify students quickly, and how the certification-focused culture in diving often prioritizes collecting cards over gaining real experience. We also discuss the importance of addressing safety concerns constructively, encouraging a culture of learning and improvement rather than punishment, to ensure that divers are truly prepared and safe in the water.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/standards-why-do-we-have-them-and-what-can-we-do-if-someone-breaks-them
Links: Gareth’s Thesis “Story Telling to Learn: What happens underwater, stays underwater”
Blogs about Just Culture https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog?tag=just+culture
Tags: English, Instruction, Jenny Lord, Just Culture, Learning
In this episode, we explore the importance of experience in diving and how it shapes decision-making and problem-solving. Experience helps divers build mental models that guide them in various situations, but beginners often face challenges because they don't know what they don't know. We discuss the value of curiosity in learning, emphasizing the need to ask questions, seek quality information, and understand the "why" behind rules and skills. By combining curiosity with experience, divers can better recognize gaps in their knowledge and adapt to new situations more effectively.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/how-do-novices-know-what-questions-to-ask
Links: Who is responsible for learning blog https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/who-is-responsible-for-learning
David Snowden’s paper https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241660493_Complex_Acts_of_Knowing_Paradox_and_Descriptive_Self-Awareness
Tags: English, Instruction, Jenny Lord, Learning
In this episode, we explore how divers can manage extreme stress in life-threatening situations. While technical skills and knowledge are vital, the ability to stay calm and focused under pressure is crucial. We discuss strategies like controlled breathing, tactical thinking, and continuous training to enhance mental resilience. Techniques such as stress inoculation training and mindfulness can help divers maintain composure and make sound decisions when it matters most. This holistic approach to readiness goes beyond survival, ensuring divers can perform effectively even in chaotic conditions.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/survival-instinct-reaction-to-stress
Links: Reducing biological stress https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/16/2351
Breathing allowing us to focus https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/psyp.13952
Tactical breathing vs prolonged exhalation https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10484-020-09485-w
Other references:
Tags: English, Andrzej Górnicki, Diving Psychology, Non-Technical Skills, Performance Shaping Factors, Stress
In this episode, we discuss the concept of experience in diving and how it goes beyond simply logging a certain number of dives. True experience comes from the quality of dives, solving problems, and learning from mistakes in varied environments and conditions. We explore why minimum dive numbers shouldn't be seen as targets and highlight the importance of breadth and depth in diving experiences. Understanding that the same dive repeated 100 times doesn't equate to 100 unique dives is key, and embracing mistakes as learning opportunities is essential to becoming a skilled diver or instructor.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/what-do-we-mean-by-experience
Links: Blog about learning https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/who-is-responsible-for-learning
Building experience https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/you-need-more-than-mistakes-to-learn
The same dives 100 times isn’t the same as 100 dives https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/unleashing-your-sixth-sense
Why we need experience https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the-importance-of-experience
Tags: English, Instruction, Jenny Lord, Learning, Rules, Training
In this episode, we explore Jenny’s journey as a diving instructor who discovered that teaching goes beyond technical skills and dives into the complexities of human behavior and communication. She realized that understanding and applying the concept of "situation awareness" was the missing piece in helping students who seemed competent but lacked a crucial element. This episode highlights how learning the language of human factors can deepen our understanding of ourselves and others, enhancing both teaching and learning by bridging gaps in communication and awareness.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/speaking-the-right-language
Tags: English, Communication, Jenny Lord
In this episode, we explore how human factors and non-technical skills can be applied to diving and diving instruction to enhance safety and performance. We discuss strategies like training senior instructors, fostering psychological safety, and promoting a culture of learning through context-rich storytelling. Practical tools include effective team communication, structured debriefs, and encouraging mutual accountability. The episode emphasizes the importance of a gradual paradigm shift towards incorporating these skills in training, supported by a wealth of resources available to divers and instructors looking to improve their practices and build stronger, safer teams.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/practical-application-of-teamwork-in-diver-training
Links: Video about compliance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNhmxz2_adc
Blog about compliance https://indepthmag.com/compliance-provides-an-illusion-of-safety-in-diving/
The gaps between what should happen and what does happen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtgIwHrUWVQ
How to build a team blogs (series of 4) https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-1
Checklist design blogs https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/how-to-building-an-effective-checklist
https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/how-to-improve-diving-checklist-design-and-use
Speaking up https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/navigating-the-authority-gradient
Structured briefing (UNITED-C) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTM_Lh7HtmA
Constructive dissent https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/challenger-safety-control
Debrief model https://www.thehumandiver.com/debrief
Counterfactuals https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/shoulda-woulda-coulda
Don’t look at the outcome, look at the context https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/its-obvious-why-it-happened
Continual learning and reflection https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the-road-to-excellence-systems-and-structure-form-the-foundation-of-a-culture-of-improvement
What should happen compared to what does happen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErhRa9i2giA
Putting HF into technical diver training programmes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noO1g3JnPRA
If Only….documentary https://www.thehumandiver.com/ifonly
Human Diver Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@thehumandiver863/featured
Tags: English, Gareth Lock, Teamwork
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
