Issue:
This research addresses the effect of investigator bias on industrial investigations. More specifically, it will focus on tunnel vision – the tendency to seek information that supports pre-existing beliefs while ignoring disconfirming information. It will explore methods to enhance the accuracy of the industrial incident investigation. In doing so, it will test how investigators’ preconceived opinions of the people or equipment involved in an accident can bias their information seeking, interpretation of evidence, and conclusions about the unsafe acts/conditions that led to the workplace event. It will also test interventions aimed at debiasing investigators’ judgments.
Objectives:
The overall goal of the project is to improve accuracy in accident investigation to inform more accurate prevention initiatives.
Anticipated Results:
The research will develop and test procedures that minimize the effect of investigator bias in industrial investigations. It is anticipated that the research will improve accuracy in determining the cause of accidents and injury.
Investigators:
J. Don Read (Simon Fraser University)
