How do avalanche victims describe group dynamics that led up to the accident?

Abstract

Abstract In countries with alpine and backcountry skiing opportunities, approximately 250 people die in avalanches yearly. The terrain where avalanches occur is ambiguous and hard to navigate, making decision-making essential for getting home safely. Most skiers tour as a member of a group. Research has shown that being in a group influence how we think and act due to group dynamics. Errors in judgment have long been identified as a key factor in backcountry avalanche accidents, and group dynamics have been shown to have a crucial influence on avalanche safety. We interviewed 24 participants with firsthand experience with avalanche accidents for a qualitative study. Our results show that group dynamics impact decision- making, where excessive trust in group members leads to a lack of critical thinking and decreased participation in decision-making. We found that the person who takes leadership is of importance and that it is crucial that the leader facilitates group discussions. Lastly, skiers are out to have fun, and we found that arousal affects decisions to ski. Our findings suggest that it is important to consider and be aware of how group dynamics affect decision-making when touring in avalanche terrain.