• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SafetyRisk.net

Humanising Safety and Embracing Real Risk

  • Home
    • About
      • Privacy Policy
      • Contact
  • FREE
    • Slogans
      • Researchers Reveal the Top 10 Most Effective Safety Slogans Of All Time
      • When Slogans Don’t Work
      • CLASSIC, FAMOUS and INFAMOUS SAFETY QUOTES
      • 500 OF THE BEST AND WORST WORKPLACE HEALTH and SAFETY SLOGANS 2023
      • CATCHY and FUNNY SAFETY SLOGANS FOR THE WORKPLACE
      • COVID-19 (Coronavirus, Omicron) Health and Safety Slogans and Quotes for the Workplace
      • Safety Acronyms
      • You know Where You Can Stick Your Safety Slogans
      • Sayings, Slogans, Aphorisms and the Discourse of Simple
      • Spanish Safety Slogans – Consignas de seguridad
      • Safety Slogans List
      • Road Safety Slogans 2023
      • How to write your own safety slogans
      • Why Are Safety Slogans Important
      • Safety Slogans Don’t Save Lives
      • 40 Free Safety Slogans For the Workplace
      • Safety Slogans for Work
    • FREE SAFETY eBOOKS
    • Free Hotel and Resort Risk Management Checklist
    • FREE DOWNLOADS
    • TOP 50
    • FREE RISK ASSESSMENT FORMS
    • Find a Safety Consultant
    • Free Safety Program Documents
    • Psychology Of Safety
    • Safety Ideas That Work
    • HEALTH and SAFETY MANUALS
    • FREE SAFE WORK METHOD STATEMENT RESOURCES
    • Whats New In Safety
    • FUN SAFETY STUFF
    • Health and Safety Training
    • SAFETY COURSES
    • Safety Training Needs Analysis and Matrix
    • Top 20 Safety Books
    • This Toaster Is Hot
    • Free Covid-19 Toolbox Talks
    • Download Page – Please Be Patient With Larger Files…….
    • SAFETY IMAGES, Photos, Unsafe Pictures and Funny Fails
    • How to Calculate TRIFR, LTIFR and Other Health and Safety Indicators
    • Download Safety Moments from Human Resources Secretariat
  • Social Psychology Of Risk
    • What is Psychological Health and Safety at Work?
    • Safety Psychology Terminology
    • Some Basics on Social Psychology & Risk
    • Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk – Prof Karl E. Weick
    • The Psychology of Leadership in Risk
    • Conducting a Psychology and Culture Safety Walk
    • The Psychology of Conversion – 20 Tips to get Started
    • Understanding The Social Psychology of Risk And Safety
    • Psychology and safety
    • The Psychology of Safety
    • Hot Toaster
    • TALKING RISK VIDEOS
    • WHAT IS SAFETY
    • THE HOT TOASTER
    • THE ZERO HARM DEBATE
    • SEMIOTICS
    • LEADERSHIP
  • Dr Long Posts
    • ALL POSTS
    • Learning Styles Matter
    • There is no Hierarchy of Controls
    • Scaffolding, Readiness and ZPD in Learning
    • What Can Safety Learn From Playschool?
    • Presentation Tips for Safety People
    • Dialogue Do’s and Don’ts
    • It’s Only a Symbol
    • Ten Cautions About Safety Checklists
    • Zero is Unethical
    • First Report on Zero Survey
    • There is No Objectivity, Deal With it!
  • THEMES
    • Psychosocial Safety
    • Resiliencing
    • Risk Myths
    • Safety Myths
    • Safety Culture Silences
    • Safety Culture
    • Psychological Health and Safety
    • Zero Harm
    • Due Diligence
  • Free Learning
    • Introduction to SPoR – Free
    • FREE RISK and SAFETY EBOOKS
    • FREE ebook – Guidance for the beginning OHS professional
    • Free EBook – Effective Safety Management Systems
    • Free EBook – Lessons I Have Learnt
  • Psychosocial Safety
    • What is Psychosocial Safety
    • Psychological Safety
      • What is Psychological Health and Safety at Work?
      • Managing psychosocial hazards at work
      • Psychological Safety – has it become the next Maslow’s hammer?
      • What is Psychosocial Safety
      • Psychological Safety Slogans and Quotes
      • What is Psychological Safety?
      • Understanding Psychological Terminology
      • Psycho-Social and Socio-Psychological, What’s the Difference?
      • Build a Psychologically Safe Workplace by Taking Risks and Analysing Failures
      • It’s not weird – it’s a psychological safety initiative!
You are here: Home / Robert Long / The Strange Challenge of Unlearning in Safety

The Strange Challenge of Unlearning in Safety

June 15, 2020 by Dr Rob Long 3 Comments

imageThe research shows that people are most gullible when:

1. What is presented to them is the first they have heard it

2. The source seems authoritative

3. The ideas seem logical, simple, binary and orderly and,

4. Ideas match popular discourse.

It is not likely that people are going to fall for a secondary idea that is complex, paradoxical and ‘difficult’ to understand.

When people commence learning in the Social Psychology of Risk the greatest challenge is unlearning many of the myths and processes taught in Safety that: don’t work, are unreal or dehumanize people. Eg. it’s very hard to throw away the idea of swiss cheese causation because it conforms to the four criteria of gullibility above. Unfortunately, the swiss cheese notion of causality simply doesn’t match the messy and ambiguous nature of reality. Incidents and events don’t happen in an orderly or linear way but once a model of safety has been anchored through a Diploma or Body of Knowledge it becomes nearly impossible to let go. Swiss cheese has more in common with the ‘clustering illusion’ than clear thinking (https://productiveclub.com/clustering-illusion/ ).

In an attempt to understand, predict and control the world the safety curriculum constructs a range of models and ideas that though absurd are believed with religious conviction. One such absurdity is zero. Zero requires the same kind of faith as belief in any religious miracle. The only way to believe in zero is to deny the reality of fallibility.

Several dynamics are at work in the way people hold to absurd and unhelpful ideas expounded in the safety curriculum and Body of Knowledge. These are: anchoring, attribution and metacognitive myopia. Eg. The idea that numerics demonstrates safety, paperwork keeps people safe and hazards have an ‘energy’ in themselves are just a few of the absurd ideas that have to be unlearned once one is prepared to jettison the orthodoxy of the safety curriculum. And, if the source of information is an orthodox one, it must be true. Similarly, applying language like ‘science’ to the study of safety adds to this conundrum, even though the foundations of science are: questioning, demonstrable outcomes, evidence and critical thinking.

Unlearning requires skills in: discernment, sifting, critical thinking, ethics, politics and questioning, none of this in either the BoK or safety curriculum. And it’s not just in the myths that Safety espouses but also it’s silences. How amazing that the global mantra for safety is zero and yet it receives no attention in the safety curriculum or BoK, even in a Chapter on Ethics.

Such is the fortress built up by Safety that any criticism of it is deemed non-compliant. This circularity is common to all religious faiths. Criticism is personalized and made taboo.

We now live in a time when gullibility is at a premium. Some refer to the social influence of gullibility as ‘fake news’ and others as ‘post-truth’. Such is the nature of faith-belief in these strange times that no amount of evidence to the contrary can convince followers of current crypto-fascists that they are incompetent and self-serving. Much of this has more in common with a fundamentalist cult than sensible rational thinking about politics, ethics or social meaning.

The human mind is poorly designed for ‘fact checking’ but very good at accepting and incorporating second hand information and symbolic memes. This is essential for maintaining political alliances and for survival. Mavericks, skepticism and questioning don’t last long in groupthink (https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-groupthink-2795213 ). Challenging orthodoxies may be visionary but when the non-vision is zero and compliance is king, there seems no great reward for swimming against the tide. Most of the safety people who study SPoR have mortgages.

If you want to learn more about the challenges of unlearning then the following is enlightening: Forgas, J., and Baumeister, R., (eds.) The Social Psychology of Gullibility, Fake News, Conspiracy Theories and Irrational Beliefs. Routledge. New York.

  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
  • More about Rob
Dr Rob Long

Dr Rob Long

Expert in Social Psychology, Principal & Trainer at Human Dymensions
Dr Rob Long

Latest posts by Dr Rob Long (see all)

  • Culture and Risk Workshop – Feedback - March 24, 2023
  • Practical Case Studies in SPoR Presented at Vienna Workshops - March 21, 2023
  • Risk iCue Video - March 20, 2023
  • Rethinking Leadership in Risk - March 20, 2023
  • Gesture and Symbol in Safety, the Force of Culture - March 20, 2023
Dr Rob Long
PhD., MEd., MOH., BEd., BTh., Dip T., Dip Min., Cert IV TAA, MRMIA Rob is the founder of Human Dymensions and has extensive experience, qualifications and expertise across a range of sectors including government, education, corporate, industry and community sectors over 30 years. Rob has worked at all levels of the education and training sector including serving on various post graduate executive, post graduate supervision, post graduate course design and implementation programs.

Please share our posts

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Robert Long, Social Psychology of Risk Tagged With: anchoring, critical thinking, gullibility, unlearning

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. rob long says

    June 16, 2020 at 8:36 AM

    … and when orthodox propaganda sources start doctoring photos, how much more important is critical thinking and discernment. Who is really the riks? https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-14/fox-news-removes-altered-images-of-seattle-protest-zone-chaz/12353582

    Reply
  2. Rob long says

    June 15, 2020 at 1:41 PM

    Worth reading
    https://theconversation.com/four-experts-investigate-how-the-5g-coronavirus-conspiracy-theory-began-139137

    Reply
  3. bernardcorden says

    June 15, 2020 at 12:03 PM

    “It is much easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled” – Mark Twain

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_lie

    Reply

Do you have any thoughts? Please share them below Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Search and Discover More on this Site

Never miss a post - Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address and join other discerning risk and safety people who receive notifications of new posts by email

Join 7,516 other subscribers

Recent Comments

  • Andrew Floyd on Culture and Risk Workshop – Feedback
  • Leon Lindley on Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
  • Rob Long on Entertainment, Suckers and Making Money From Safety
  • Rob Long on Celebrating 60 Years of Lifeline
  • Gregg Ancel on Entertainment, Suckers and Making Money From Safety
  • Rob Sams on Celebrating 60 Years of Lifeline
  • Rob long on Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
  • Rob Long on Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
  • Rob Long on Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
  • Rob Long on Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
  • Admin on Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
  • Leon Lindley on Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
  • Admin on Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
  • Mariaa Sussan on Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
  • Brian Darlington on Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
  • Leon Lindley on Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
  • Narelle Stoll on Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
  • Narelle Stoll on Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
  • Brian Edwin Darlington on SPoR Workshops Vienna 26-30 June
  • Rob Long on How to Manage Psychosocial Risks in your organisation

RECOMMENDED READING

viral post – iso 45003 and what it cannot do

Introduction to SPOR – FREE!!

Psychosocial Safety and Mental Health Series

Celebrating 60 Years of Lifeline

Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness

Duty of Care is NOT Duty to Care (for persons)

Safety, Ethics, SPoR and How to Foster the Abuse of Power

Psychosocial Spin – Naming Bad as Good, Good Work Safety!

How to Manage Psychosocial Risks in your organisation

The Delusions of AI, Risk and Safety

Health, the Poor Cousin of Safety

Psychosocial Health Conversations – Three

Conversations About Psychosocial Risk – Greg Smith, Dr Craig Ashhurst and Dr Rob Long

More Posts from this Category

NEW! Free Download

Please take our 2 minute zero survey

FREE eBOOK DOWNLOADS

Footer

VIRAL POST – The Risk Matrix Myth

Top Posts & Pages. Sad that most are so dumb but this is what safety luves

  • 500 OF THE BEST AND WORST WORKPLACE HEALTH and SAFETY SLOGANS 2023
  • Free Safety Moments and Toolbox Talk Examples, Tips and Resources
  • CATCHY and FUNNY SAFETY SLOGANS FOR THE WORKPLACE
  • Road Safety Slogans 2023
  • Culture and Risk Workshop - Feedback
  • How to Calculate TRIFR, LTIFR and Other Health and Safety Indicators
  • 15 Safety Precautions When Working With Electricity
  • FREE RISK ASSESSMENT FORMS, CHECKISTS, REGISTERS, TEMPLATES and APPS
  • Safety Acronyms
  • Download Safety Moments from Human Resources Secretariat

Recent Posts

  • Culture and Risk Workshop – Feedback
  • Practical Case Studies in SPoR Presented at Vienna Workshops
  • Risk iCue Video
  • Rethinking Leadership in Risk
  • ‘Can’t Means Won’t Try’ – The Challenge of Being Challenged
  • Gesture and Symbol in Safety, the Force of Culture
  • Human Factors is Never About Humans
  • Celebrating 60 Years of Lifeline
  • Smart Phone Addiction, FOMO and Safety at Work
  • Entertainment, Suckers and Making Money From Safety
  • Breaking the Safety Code
  • The Futility of the Centralised Safety Management System?
  • Liking and Not Liking in Safety, A Tale of In-Group and Out-Groupness
  • Risk iCue Video Two – Demonstration
  • Radical Uncertainty
  • The Safety Love Affair with AI
  • Safety is not a Person, Safety as an Archetype
  • Duty of Care is NOT Duty to Care (for persons)
  • What Can ‘Safety’ Learn From a Rock?
  • Safety, Ethics, SPoR and How to Foster the Abuse of Power
  • Psychosocial Spin – Naming Bad as Good, Good Work Safety!
  • SPoR Workshops Vienna 26-30 June
  • What Theory of Learning is Embedded in Your Investigation Methodology?
  • How to Manage Psychosocial Risks in your organisation
  • Risk You Can Eat
  • Triarachic Thinking in SPoR
  • CLLR NEWSLETTER–March 2023
  • Hoarding as a Psychosis Against Uncertainty
  • The Delusions of AI, Risk and Safety
  • Health, the Poor Cousin of Safety
  • Safety in The Land of Norom from the Book of Nil
  • Psychosocial Health Conversations – Three
  • Conversations About Psychosocial Risk – Greg Smith, Dr Craig Ashhurst and Dr Rob Long
  • Jingoism is NOT Culture, but it is for Safety
  • CLLR Special Edition Newsletter – Giveaways Update
  • The Disembodied Human and Persons in Safety
  • 200,000 SPoR Book Downloads
  • What SPoR Network is.
  • Trinket Safety
  • How to Know if Safety ‘Works’
  • Due Diligence is NOT Quantitative
  • SPoR Community Network
  • Conversations About Psychosocial Risk Session 2 – Greg Smith, Dr Craig Ashhurst and Dr Rob Long
  • The Psychology of Blaming in Safety
  • By What Measure? Safety?
  • Safe Work Australia a Vision for No Vision
  • Do we Need a Different Way of Being in Safety?
  • Non Common Sense Mythology
  • Language Shapes Culture in Risk
  • What Does Your Risk and Safety Icon Say?

VIRAL POST!!! HOW TO QUIT THE SAFETY INDUSTRY

FEATURED POSTS

Social Sensemaking–New Book Release

What Can Safety Learn from Barbie

My Journey with SPoR

Introduction to The Social Psychology of Risk – Free Online Module

In Praise of In-Between Thinking in Risk and Safety

Why is Myth so Scary to Safety?

SPoR Body of Knowledge – A Video

The Learning (and unlearning) that Revealed my Vocation

Don’t Let Evidence Get in the Way of Safety

Human Dymensions Newsletter–October 2014

Framing Risk Through Regulation

Nothing is Learned Through Brutalism

The Foundations of Safety

Study Social Psychology of Risk Online in 2018

Tape Down Those Leads

Social Psychology of Risk – Body of Knowledge

Next Free Online Studies Introduction to Social Psychology of Risk

Risk Boldly

Understanding How People Make Decisions and Judgments

The ‘Noise’ of Safety, Silence and Practicing of Mindfulness

The Safety Worldview and the Worldview of Safety, Testing Due Diligence

Why we make mistakes

Zero Accident Vision Non-Sense

Why is Safety an Easy Target?

How to Leave the Safety Industry

London Workshops 24-28 October

Safety Career Highlight

I Just Don’t Know

Investigations and Power

My thoughts during a walk in the Forests in Vienna

Making Sense of Semiotics and Safety

Social Psychology of Risk Post-Grad Pics

SPoR, Ideology and Safety Myth

Bad Moon Rising

How Effective Are Your Conversations About Risk?

How to Do the Best Risk Assessment

By What Measure? Safety?

Surfacing – Making the Unconscious Conscious

Visual Learning and Envisioning Risk

The Social Politics of Safety

More Posts from this Category

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address and join other discerning risk and safety people who receive notifications of new posts by email

Join 7,516 other subscribers

How we pay for the high cost of running of this site – try it for free on your site

WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY?

What is Psychological Safety at Work?


WHAT IS PSYCHOSOCIAL SAFETY