The psychology of beach users: importance of confirmation bias, action, and intention to improving rip current safety

Ménard, A. Dana; Houser, Chris; Brander, Robert W.; Trimble, Sarah; Scaman, Alexandra Carol Lynn

doi:10.1007/s11069-018-3424-7

Cited by 37 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 88 publications

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“…This may partially explain why there were fewer-than-expected rescues on days when the posted flag colour was green or yellow and the model predicted a yellow or red flag, respectively. Independent of the flag or warning signs, beach users appear to be making personal decisions about the surf and rip hazard based on experience at the site or elsewhere (see Ménard et al, 2018). Whether this causes beach users to lose confidence in the lifeguards and other authorities managing the beach is an important question for future research.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is difficult for beach users to spot a rip or assess the potential for rip development, and they may assume that the lifeguard is being overly cautious if they perceive fineweather conditions and the lifeguard posts a yellow or red flag. Going to the beach is a reward-based activity, and many people commit significant personal and financial investment to be at the beach (Ménard et al, 2018). If they believe that the lifeguard is wrong they will ignore the warning and remain committed to entering the water.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is estimated that the annual number of rip current drownings exceeds the number of fatalities caused by hurricanes, forest fires, and floods in Australia , while rip-related drownings on a relatively small number of beaches in Costa Rica account for a disproportionately large number of violent deaths in the country (Arozarena et al, 2015). However, recent evidence suggests that public knowledge of this hazard is limited (Brander et al, 2011;Williamson et al, 2012;Brannstrom et al, 2014Brannstrom et al, , 2015Gallop et al, 2016;Fallon et al, 2018;Ménard et al, 2018;Silva-Cavalcanti et al, 2018;Trimble and Houser, 2017) and that few people are interested in rip currents compared to other hazards .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To be effective, the flag system requires lifeguards to continuously assess surf conditions and monitor swimmers and bathers, and ultimately intervene if someone does not heed the warning implied by a yellow or red flag indicating moderate and high ("do not enter the water") hazard levels respectively. Recent evidence suggests that many beach users do not adhere to warnings if their own experience (whether accurate or not) or behaviour of others on the beach contradicts the hazard, as indicated by the warning flag Ménard et al, 2018). Beachgoers may lose trust in authority (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Trust and confidence in the authority figures can be eroded if they believe that the lifeguards are being overly cautious. It can be difficult to change (or reset) public perception about the accuracy of the flag system as soon as a discrepancy is perceived, and subsequent visits and experiences may confirm the biases of the beach user (Ménard et al, 2018). It is a situation analogous to the boy who cries wolf (Wachinger et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Machine learning analysis of lifeguard flag decisions and recorded rescues

Houser

Lehner

Cherry

et al. 2019

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Rip currents and other surf hazards are an emerging public health issue globally. Lifeguards, warning flags, and signs are important, and to varying degrees they are effective strategies to minimize risk to beach users. In the United States and other jurisdictions around the world, lifeguards use coloured flags (green, yellow, and red) to indicate whether the danger posed by the surf and rip hazard is low, moderate, or high respectively. The choice of flag depends on the lifeguard(s) monitoring the changing surf conditions along the beach and over the course of the day using both regional surf forecasts and careful observation. There is a potential that the chosen flag is not consistent with the beach user perception of the risk, which may increase the potential for rescues or drownings. In this study, machine learning is used to determine the potential for error in the flags used at Pensacola Beach and the impact of that error on the number of rescues. Results of a decision tree analysis indicate that the colour flag chosen by the lifeguards was different from what the model predicted for 35 % of days between 2004 and 2008 (n=396/1125). Days when there is a difference between the predicted and posted flag colour represent only 17 % of all rescue days, but those days are associated with ∼60 % of all rescues between 2004 and 2008. Further analysis reveals that the largest number of rescue days and total number of rescues are associated with days where the flag deployed over-estimated the surf and hazard risk, such as a red or yellow flag flying when the model predicted a green flag would be more appropriate based on the wind and wave forcing alone. While it is possible that the lifeguards were overly cautious, it is argued that they most likely identified a rip forced by a transverse-bar and rip morphology common at the study site. Regardless, the results suggest that beach users may be discounting lifeguard warnings if the flag colour is not consistent with how they perceive the surf hazard or the regional forecast. Results suggest that machine learning techniques have the potential to support lifeguards and thereby reduce the number of rescues and drownings.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Machine learning analysis of lifeguard flag decisions and recorded rescues

Houser

Lehner

Cherry

et al. 2019

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci.

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Lessons learned from co‐designing a high school beach safety education program with lifeguards and students

Koon

Brander

Alonzo

et al. 2022

Health Prom J of Aust

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Issue Addressed: School-based beach safety education programs are common, but best practice guidance and information on their design and development is limited.Methods: Researchers, professional ocean lifeguards and students participated in a co-design process to inform a lifeguard-delivered, school-based beach safety education program for a coastal community in New South Wales, Australia. Lifeguards and researchers (experts) provided structured feedback about the program in a survey and facilitated workshop; students (n = 26) aged 11 to 13 years participated in focus group sessions intended to garner in-depth understanding of their experiences at the beach and knowledge of, and attitudes towards, beach safety.Results and Discussion: The co-design process provided a novel and inclusive model for beach safety education program development, and valuable lessons for future efforts. Specifically, student focus groups identified several facets of pre-teens and younger teenagers' beach experience that prompted revision of the education program, primarily framing of program content and safety messages. Peers are a primary motivator for this age group and students' burgeoning independence emerged as an important theme. While knowledgeable about beach hazards and risks, students conveyed mixed safety attitudes and self-reported safety practices, highlighting the importance of designing programs to motivate behaviour and promote safe decisionmaking vs raising awareness alone. Findings illustrate the value of adopting co-design processes for all beach safety programs, school or otherwise.So What?: Beach safety programs may not be delivering information that is needed, wanted or useful. Structured consultation with the priority population must become standard practice in beach safety and drowning prevention education program development.

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Short communication: public interest in rip currents relative to other natural hazards: evidence from Google search data

2019

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Informing and warning beach users about the danger posed by the rip current hazard remain a difficult challenge. Recent evidence suggests that warning signs and flags alone have limited effectiveness and that there is the potential for beach users to ignore broadcast warnings if they are not consistent with their direct perception of the surf conditions or the behavior of others on the beach. While the "Break the Grip of the Rip!" ® education campaign in the USA improved knowledge about rip safety, there is evidence that beach users have limited awareness about and interest in rip currents in general. It is hypothesized that compared to other natural hazards, there is a lack of media attention and public interest in rip currents despite their greater frequency and relatively large number of lifeguard rescues each year. Google search data are used as a proxy for public interest in rip currents globally between 2004 and 2015 compared to other natural hazards. Results suggest that the relative number of Google searches for rip currents is several orders of magnitude smaller than searches for storms, earthquakes, volcanos and shark attacks despite a much greater frequency of fatalities, rescues and events during this period. The number of searches and fatalities for rip currents is nearly identical to lightning strikes, suggesting that there is little interest globally in the most common and distributed natural hazards compared to less frequent but more sensational hazards. This suggests a need to increase the number of media reports and stories about rip currents, rescues and drownings to increase public awareness and knowledge of the hazard.

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The psychology of beach users: importance of confirmation bias, action, and intention to improving rip current safety

Cited by 37 publications

References 88 publications

Machine learning analysis of lifeguard flag decisions and recorded rescues

Machine learning analysis of lifeguard flag decisions and recorded rescues

Lessons learned from co‐designing a high school beach safety education program with lifeguards and students

Short communication: public interest in rip currents relative to other natural hazards: evidence from Google search data

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