Above: Photo by David Cherry.
Many skydivers react to accidents in ways that can prevent them from truly learning meaningful safety lessons. When an accident happens—big or small—the drop zone buzzes with people eager to piece together the details of what went wrong. This isn’t just idle gossip. Learning from others’ mistakes is a crucial way to improve our own safety. In good times, these lessons come from lively “no-****-there-I-was” stories told around the bonfire. In more severe situations, we’re left to consider the details carefully and what might have prevented the accident.
Seeing Ourselves as Different from the Victim
As facts mingle with speculation, we start forming a story. Often, we focus on a single error, even though accidents usually result from a sequence of small mistakes.
Reflecting on these stories can give us reassurance, even if they’re not entirely accurate. Facing the reality that this could happen to us can feel unsettling, so we often hear a voice saying, “This would never happen to me.” We tell ourselves, “I always check my gear,” or, “I never lose track of my altitude.” These thoughts create a safe psychological buffer, reminding us of the steps we take to prevent similar incidents.
Illusory Superiority and the “Lake Wobegon Effect”
The Lake Wobegon Effect, aka illusory superiority, is a cognitive bias in which people view themselves as above average, a comforting belief that can lead us to overlook risks. Named after the fictional town in the book and radio program “A Prairie Home Companion,” where “all the children are above average,” this bias makes us feel safer. Still, it can prevent us from fully recognizing and addressing our own vulnerabilities.
This belief helps us keep moving forward. If we felt fully exposed to every potential risk, we might give up skydiving altogether. In truth, accidents are relatively rare, and most of us enjoy the sport safely.
However, this mindset also has a downside: it can make us dismiss real risks too quickly. Human beings are extraordinary machines made of meat, but we are still prone to all kinds of errors. Sometimes, we overlook what’s right in front of us or make mistakes despite countless hours of practice. Remembering this reminds us that no one is immune to mistakes.
Using Vulnerability to Build Better Safety Habits
Listening to that small voice that admits, “Yes, this could happen to me,” gives us a chance to strengthen our safety approach. This isn’t about doubting your skills but about developing habits that prevent mistakes before they happen. Consider the common series of errors that lead to accidents, and think about ways to close gaps in your own safety routine.
Use the feeling to reduce your complacency, but also think about the processes, procedures, habits, and attitudes you can incorporate to reduce risk. It’s about attitude but also about building permanent safety habits.
Skydiving combines passion with preparation. Embracing vulnerability keeps us grounded, learning from each situation to keep ourselves and others safer.
Christy Frikken D-28865
USPA Coach, AFF Instructor and PRO
furycoaching.com
Further Reading on Cognitive Bias and Safety:
Dunning, David; Kerri Johnson, Joyce Ehrlinger, and Justin Kruger (2003). “Why People Fail to Recognize Their Own Incompetence.” Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12 (3): 83–87. doi:10.1111/1467-8721.01235.
Giladi, E.E., & Y. Klar (2002). “When Standards Are Wide of the Mark: Nonselective Superiority and Inferiority Biases in Comparative Judgments of Objects and Concepts.” Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 131 (4): 538–551. doi:10.1037/0096-3445.131.4.538.