Rights statement: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Power, N. and Alison, L. (2017), Offence or defence? Approach and avoid goals in the multi-agency emergency response to a simulated terrorism attack. J Occup Organ Psychol, 90: 51–76. doi:10.1111/joop.12159 which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joop.12159/abstract This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.
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Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Offence or defence? approach and avoid goals in the multi-agency emergency response to a simulated terrorism attack. / Power, Nicola; Alison, Laurence.
In: Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Vol. 90, No. 1, 03.2017, p. 51-76.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Offence or defence?
T2 - approach and avoid goals in the multi-agency emergency response to a simulated terrorism attack
AU - Power, Nicola
AU - Alison, Laurence
N1 - This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Power, N. and Alison, L. (2017), Offence or defence? Approach and avoid goals in the multi-agency emergency response to a simulated terrorism attack. J Occup Organ Psychol, 90: 51–76. doi:10.1111/joop.12159 which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joop.12159/abstract This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving.
PY - 2017/3
Y1 - 2017/3
N2 - When operating in multiteam settings, it is important that goals are cohesive between team members, especially in high-stakes, risky, and uncertain environments. This study explored goal consistency during a multiteam emergency response simulation. A total of n = 50 commanders from the UK Police Services, Fire and Rescue Services, and Ambulance Services took part in a simulated terrorism exercise, who were split into n = 13 teams. Each team responded to the same simulated terrorist event, which was based on a ‘Marauding Terrorist Firearms Attack’ (MTFA) at a city centre train station. Data were collected using electronically time-stamped ‘decision logs’ and post-incident questionnaires that measured team members’ self-reported goals. Goals that were ‘attack’ focussed (e.g., ‘treat patients’) were coded as ‘approach’ (i.e., focussed on achieving positive outcomes) and goals that were ‘defence’ focussed (e.g., protect emergency responders) were coded as ‘avoid’ (i.e., focussed on avoiding negative outcomes). It emerged that different agencies prioritized different goal types; Fire commanders initially prioritized avoid goals but then increased approach orientations, Ambulance commanders were consistently approach oriented, and Police commanders showed goal conflict (tensions between adopting approach and avoid goals). Despite goal differences, participants rated that their interagency goals were consistent in a post-scenario questionnaire, suggesting that commanders were unaware of the nuanced differences between their agency-specific objectives. At the multiteam level, teams who predominantly held attack/approach goals were significantly faster at decision logging early in the incident, yet defend/avoid teams were faster at decision logging later into the incident. Implications for multiteam coordination are discussed.
AB - When operating in multiteam settings, it is important that goals are cohesive between team members, especially in high-stakes, risky, and uncertain environments. This study explored goal consistency during a multiteam emergency response simulation. A total of n = 50 commanders from the UK Police Services, Fire and Rescue Services, and Ambulance Services took part in a simulated terrorism exercise, who were split into n = 13 teams. Each team responded to the same simulated terrorist event, which was based on a ‘Marauding Terrorist Firearms Attack’ (MTFA) at a city centre train station. Data were collected using electronically time-stamped ‘decision logs’ and post-incident questionnaires that measured team members’ self-reported goals. Goals that were ‘attack’ focussed (e.g., ‘treat patients’) were coded as ‘approach’ (i.e., focussed on achieving positive outcomes) and goals that were ‘defence’ focussed (e.g., protect emergency responders) were coded as ‘avoid’ (i.e., focussed on avoiding negative outcomes). It emerged that different agencies prioritized different goal types; Fire commanders initially prioritized avoid goals but then increased approach orientations, Ambulance commanders were consistently approach oriented, and Police commanders showed goal conflict (tensions between adopting approach and avoid goals). Despite goal differences, participants rated that their interagency goals were consistent in a post-scenario questionnaire, suggesting that commanders were unaware of the nuanced differences between their agency-specific objectives. At the multiteam level, teams who predominantly held attack/approach goals were significantly faster at decision logging early in the incident, yet defend/avoid teams were faster at decision logging later into the incident. Implications for multiteam coordination are discussed.
KW - decision-making
KW - teams
KW - goals
KW - emergency services
KW - major incident
KW - terrorism
U2 - 10.1111/joop.12159
DO - 10.1111/joop.12159
M3 - Journal article
VL - 90
SP - 51
EP - 76
JO - Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology
JF - Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology
SN - 0963-1798
IS - 1
ER -