Theoretical cognitive differences in expert and novice outdoor leader decision making: Implications for training and development

Abstract

Outdoor leader decision-making is often cited as one of the most important competencies that professionals in the field possess. However, little discussion regarding the development of decision-making ability appears in the outdoor leadership literature. Psychologists in other fields have investigated the progression from novice to expertise and the following scenario illustrates differences: expert/novice decision-making as indicated with submarine commanders and air traffic controllers as subjects. This paper attempts to make theoretical connections between research in cognitive and social psychology, and outdoor leader development, and in doing so, discusses research in expert/novice differences in decision-making, situation assessment, naturalistic decision-making, and professional development. Implications and suggestions are made for application to current training practices; these include training for ill-structured problems, for a heavy workload, time stress and high stakes, as well as multiple players, and organizational norms. Suggestions for additional research are also included.

Keywords:

• Experience
• Problem Solving
• Cognitive Psychology
• Social Psychology