title: An information theory analysis of duration of lifeguards' scanning.
abstract: Observers recorded the duration of scanning by six lifeguards in three indoor swimming pools. Duration of scanning was significantly predicted by the absolute numbers of child swimmers (< 17 years) in the pools and when numbers of child swimmers were represented in terms of bits of information. Duration of scanning increased as a linear function of both numbers of children and child bits of information. These results are interpreted in terms of the Hick-Hyman law of information theory. Lifeguards appear to simplify the task of information processing and decision-making by concentrating on children as a more at-risk group of swimmers. Duration of scanning was not significantly related to changes in number of adult swimmers.
authors: University of Alberta, Center for Experimental Sociology, Edmonton, Canada.
authors: W Andrew
authors: WA
authors: Harrell
authors: Jennifer A
authors: JA
authors: Boisvert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011582:Psychological Theory; D011930:Reaction Time; D018635:Rescue Work; D013551:Swimming Pools; D014796:Visual Perception