neuroscience Archives - Situational Awareness Matters!™

Sensory Conflict and Mind Drift – A reading from the Smart Worker’s book (Episode 321)

Attitude, Confusion, Decision Making, Disoriented, Emotions, Fatigue, Human Behavior, Human Error, Human Factors, Hyper Vigilance, Illness, Information overload, Invincible, Mindfulness, Neuroscience, Overload, Overwhelm, Preoccupation, Pressure, Risk, Risk Assessment, Safety, SAMatters Radio, Stress, Task Fixation, Task Saturation, Tunnel Vision, Tunneled Senses, Vigilance / By Rich Gasaway

Situational awareness barriers block a worker’s ability to perceive, understand or predict. I have uncovered and researched more than a hundred barriers to awareness. This episode talks about two of the barriers – sensory conflict and mind drift. We also briefly discuss the process for predicting future events. Length: 53 minutes Click the YouTube icon …

Sensory Conflict and Mind Drift – A reading from the Smart Worker’s book (Episode 321) Read More »

Tired Brains (fatigue) and Situational Awareness

3 Comments / Article, Attention Management, Crew Resource Management, Decision Making, Fatigue, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Human Behavior, Human Factors, Neuroscience, Safety, Situational awareness, Stress / By Rich Gasaway

I get asked often about the role of fatigue in situational awareness. Sometimes the question is based on general curiosity. Sometimes the inquiry is a result of someone seeking support for (or against) an extended work schedule. I sure don’t want to get caught in the middle of that debate but the question is a …

Tired Brains (fatigue) and Situational Awareness Read More »

Sleep and Situational Awareness

1 Comment / Article, Attention Management, Competency, Culture, Decision Making, Fatigue, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Human Factors, Neuroscience, Safety, Situational awareness / By Rich Gasaway

The work schedule, along with the physical and mental demands placed on first responders and people working in high risk environments, can quickly cause brain fatigue. Most responders know that fatigue can have an impact on critical thinking and mental acuity. This, in turn, can have a significant impact on situational awareness. Situational awareness is …

Sleep and Situational Awareness Read More »

Resilient Problem Solvers

5 Comments / Article, Culture, Decision Making, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Human Behavior, Mental Models, Neuroscience, Repetition, Safety, Situational awareness, Situational Readiness, Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines, Teamwork, Training / By Rich Gasaway

Perhaps you’re going to think I’ve been out in the sun too long when you read this proclamation: I want you to make more mistakes! What? It’s true, I do. But before you stop reading this article out of distain for such an absurd statement, please gift me just five minutes of your time to …

Resilient Problem Solvers Read More »

How We Decide … Anything

Leave a Comment / Article, Decision Making, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Human Behavior, Neuroscience, Safety, Situational awareness / By Rich Gasaway

How you decide to do something is a complex process that involves multiple brain regions. Are decisions made with the rational brain or the intuitive brain? The answer, surprisingly, is both. Rational judgment allows you to process facts and data essential to good decision making. Intuition allows you to tap into past training and experiences …

How We Decide … Anything Read More »

Anchoring Bias as a Barrier to Situational Awareness

Leave a Comment / Attention Management, Auditory exclusion, Distractions and Interruptions, Ego, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Human Behavior, Human Factors, Meta Awareness, Neuroscience, Repetition, Safety, Tacit Knowledge / By Rich Gasaway

There are over 100 cognitive biases that can impact situational awareness, and subsequently, decision making. Many of these biases are discussed during the Mental Management of Emergencies and Flawed Situational Awareness programs because it is important for responders to understand that we may possess a bias without knowing it and without knowing the impact of …

Anchoring Bias as a Barrier to Situational Awareness Read More »