(50a) The Illusion of Attention: Are There Gorillas in Your Plant?

The ability to recognize hazardous conditions is essential to managing risk. However, considerable research in the cognitive sciences has shown that our ability to observe our surroundings is limited by attentional resources. The failure to notice an unexpected stimulus in your field of vision while performing other attention-demanding tasks is a cognitive phenomenon known as inattentional blindness (IB). The best-known study demonstrating IB is the invisible gorilla test where subjects are asked to watch a video of people passing a basketball. The illusion of attention is even more pervasive as it extends to memory and the gaps between what we think we remember and actually remember.

This paper explores evidence obtained through an actual plant safety observation program which suggests that inattentional blindness is a near and present danger. The results of the study are consistent with the invisible gorilla test and suggest that our ability to recognize hazards can be impaired more than we think. The authors present a proactive model for Organizational Management of Change (OMOC) to resolve this phenomenon by seeking an optimal level of awareness.  Recognizing that awareness is largely a function of training, knowledge, competency and culture, the model has been designed to balance experiential knowledge against the detrimental effects of emergent IB. The implications of this study are significant relative to making improvements towards conduct of operations and operational discipline.