Item: PROFESSIONAL VISION IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN. AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL NORWEGIAN SKI AND MOUNTAIN GUIDE EDUCATORS.
-
-
Title: PROFESSIONAL VISION IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN. AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL NORWEGIAN SKI AND MOUNTAIN GUIDE EDUCATORS.
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop 2024, Tromsø, Norway
Authors:
- Mr Sigmund Fredrik Andersen [ School of Sport Sciences, Center for Avalanche Research and Education (CARE), UiT The Arctic University of Norway ]
- Dr Marcel Reinhold [ School of Sport Sciences, Center for Avalanche Research and Education (CARE), UiT The Arctic University of Norway ]
- Mr. Carsten Gade Rolland [ School of Sport Sciences, Center for Avalanche Research and Education (CARE), UiT The Arctic University of Norway ]
Date: 2024-09-23
Abstract: Despite growing interest and advancements in research on human factors in avalanche terrain over the last decade, there remains a need for deeper understanding of how professional guides conduct risk assessments and develop decision-making strategies. To examine specific professional practices in a real-life setting, we conducted a participant observation study, following guide educators during ski and mountain guide courses organized by the Norwegian Mountain Guide Association (NORTIND). We introduce Goodwin’s (1994) concept of professional vision as a new theoretical framework to explore how guide educators make decisions based on how they see and understand events. Our results reveal that guide educators employ various discursive practices, including coding, high-lighting, organizing, and communicating, to make safe decisions. These practices are integral to their professional vision and play a crucial role in how they interpret and respond to the complex and dynamic conditions in avalanche terrain. Our findings deepen the understanding of human factors, particularly regarding professionals’ unique ways of seeing and understanding events and their decision-making strategies. Moreover, the study offers practical implications for improving safety in such a high-risk environment.
Object ID: ISSW2024_O11.4.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s): Mr Sigmund Fredrik Andersen
Keywords: Ethnography, professional vision, discursive practices, guide education, decision-making in avalanche terrain.
Page Number(s): 1450 - 1456
-