AD 2015 Q4

to take responsibility for the dive. Remember, you are
the best advocate for your own safety.
Deindividuation is another factor that can lead to
unsafe diving. This phenomenon is often called “being
lost in the crowd,” but it doesn’t necessarily require a
large group. We feel fewer constraints on our actions
when many people are around us, as might be the case
on a full dive boat. When we are lost in the crowd, we
tend to act more impulsively and may thus be more
prone to making errors.
Close-knit groups of friends can be particularly
prone to groupthink, which is when everyone in a
group agrees with each other without thinking things
through. Someone might suggest an unsafe dive, and
everyone gives their assent without much thought.
On the other hand, diving with people you don’t
know can also be problematic. We tend to want to be
liked by others, so we sometimes do things we normally
wouldn’t to get along or for others to like us. Often called
normative social influence, it can encourage us to make
an unsafe dive in an attempt to be liked by others. If
someone suggests diving deeper than you are trained to,
you might feel pressure to say yes if you want to be liked
by that person. Although putting your life in danger just
to be liked might seem strange, normative social influence
is powerful and should be taken seriously.
Informative social influence is a bit different. This is
when we do as others do because we think they know
what is best. We learn from them and follow their
lead. This is a good thing as long as the person we are
learning from is doing things properly. Unfortunately,
novices often look toward anyone with more
experience, but not every diver is a worthy role model.
The good news is that we can counter these unwanted
influences in many ways, including reading articles
like this one. The simple act of learning about these
influences can be enough to weaken them. We can also
do the following:
• Take control. Don’t assume somebody else will say
something is amiss. Review your training, and stick
to it. If someone suggests doing something outside
of your training, say you aren’t comfortable doing
it. Chances are that someone else in the group is
similarly concerned but is too shy or uncomfortable
to say so.
• Slow down. We tend to act impulsively around
other people, so slow down and think. Rarely do we
have to make split-second decisions before we dive.
Taking a minute or even just a few seconds to think
things through can effectively counter errors due to
impulsiveness.
• Play devil’s advocate. It’s natural to blindly go
along with the crowd at times. To counter this,
Divers should be aware of the various ways social pressure can
influence their behavior. When in doubt, rely on your training and
never forget you are the best advocate for your own safety.
think about what might go wrong. We won’t always
identify plausible concerns when we play devil’s
advocate, but sometimes we may notice potential
problems.
• Rely on your training. Part of safe diving is
recognizing unsafe diving. If you are unsure,
consult your manual or ask a diver with knowledge,
experience and a commitment to safe diving. You
can often tell who these people are: They tend to
talk about safety, have advanced training and help
novices before dives.
• Model good behavior. If you are an experienced
diver, lead by example. Don’t be afraid to go out of
your way to make it clear you are a safe diver. For
example, you might invite novices to plan their dives
with you. This helps create a climate that benefits
everyone.
• Role-play. Practice with a friend what you would
do if someone pressured you to make an unsafe dive.
We often make poor decisions because we are put on
the spot and don’t have time to think things through
properly. Practicing what you would say and who
you would say it to can make it considerably easier
to make the safe decision. Prior to doing something
exciting like diving, we tend to respond with our
dominant response, but a beginner’s dominant
response is not always the correct one. Through roleplaying
and practice you can make your dominant
response one that supports safety.
Most of us understand, intellectually at least, the
risks associated with cutting corners, rushing dives
and not being fully prepared. By learning to recognize
factors that lead to unsafe decisions, we can help keep
ourselves out of dangerous situations. AD
STEPHEN FRINK
ALERTDIVER.COM | 59