122 - Distraction, Inattention and The Brain "HOT TOPIC"
(Room 381A)
24 Oct 18
1:00 PM
-
2:00 PM
Neuroscience estimates that 95 percent of what we do is back-of-mind. Although doing things on “autopilot” is an efficient way to interact with our world, the resulting inattention and distraction causes incidents. This is not about psychology; it’s about the biology that has evolved the human brain into its present-day form. The solution is not to stop people going on autopilot (as if we could) but to engage with people in a way that enables them to become habitually safer. After all, we are creatures of habit. If we can help people understand – without blame or fault – how inattention and distraction come about and how they can be minimized, people can contribute more to a positive safety culture, significantly improving safety performance.