One of the most amusing aspects of the Heinrich myth (https://safetyrisk.net/?s=Heinrich) is the sub-title of his book: A Scientific Approach. Of course, such is not the case. This is typical of Safety that most often seems to name what it is, by what it is not. The first place to start in … [Read more...] about The Non-Science of Heinrich
Behaviourism
Tackling the Challenge of Heuristics in Safety
The recognition of heuristics as the foundation for all human decision making is critical to skill development and implementation of SPoR (https://safetyrisk.net/spor-and-disposing-of-bad-myths/) in the workplace. One of the silly myths of behaviourism in safety is the complete ignorance of … [Read more...] about Tackling the Challenge of Heuristics in Safety
Why Safety is Attracted to Behaviourism
There is no doubt that simplistic back and white binary thinking and methods are attractive. Who wants complex or ‘wicked’ when a simple delusion will do. All you have to do is place such a worldview over reality and make it fit your assumptions and then ensure you never talk about any of the … [Read more...] about Why Safety is Attracted to Behaviourism
Why We Need to Understand Emotions in Safety
The evidence shows that the emotions support and clarify rational thinking. The emotions are not opposed to rational thinking as projected by various Scientist/Behaviourist ideologies. The idea that rational thinking is located in the brain and the emotions are found in an irrational felt … [Read more...] about Why We Need to Understand Emotions in Safety
More Safety Code to Disguise Behaviourism
It’s always entertaining when Safety talks about what it believes in and it’s ‘values’ by omitting what it believes in and naming its values. Such is safety code (https://safetyrisk.net/deciphering-safety-code/). Take for example this piece, clearly Behaviourist (SHP meets Bertrand Gibert) that … [Read more...] about More Safety Code to Disguise Behaviourism
Kicking the Behaviourism Habit
A habit is something we do without thinking, if we know we are thinking of a behaviour as we do it, then it’s not a habit. The nature of habits and the human unconscious remains a mystery to the Discipline of Neuroscience. Indeed, simplistic pop psych books like Duhigg’s The Power of Habit and … [Read more...] about Kicking the Behaviourism Habit
The Curse of Behaviourism
The Curse of Behaviourism One of the greatest curses inflicted on the industry of safety is the toxicity of behaviourism. Behaviourism is that 1940s ideology that constructed the human being as machine, as the sum of inputs and outputs. Nothing could be further from reality. Behaviourism … [Read more...] about The Curse of Behaviourism
Turning Neuroscience into Behaviourism
I had to chuckle when I was sent this piece. One should normally expect leadership and professionalism from a peak body but in this case there is all the evidence of the opposite neuroscience-behind-how-workers-make-conscious-safety-choices. The key to leadership is discernment and wisdom and … [Read more...] about Turning Neuroscience into Behaviourism
