Comparing professional judgment and decision-making capability in expert and novice cave leaders: an applied cognitive task analysis

This paper focuses on the novice-expert divide in cave leaders, comparing professional judgment and decision-making (PJDM) through Applied Cognitive Task Analysis (ACTA) methods. Novice leaders (n=4) were purposively sampled and undertook the three stages of the ACTA protocol. A Cognitive Demands Table was produced and the collected data were compared to our previous study of high-level instructors to compare the practice and behaviors of novices to expert cavers. Findings show that novice leaders’ PJDM differed significantly to the experienced experts by how their cognitive load management negatively impacted decision-making capability. The authors conclude that these original PJDM findings extend the literature base in caving and wider adventure sports, finding that ACTA offers a suitable method to explore decision-making in this domain whilst informing professional development. The study provides valuable educational resources and applied models to help develop PJDM in this domain, positively impacting Cave Leader and Vertical Cave Leader practice.