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University professor and daughter among 5 killed diving in Maldives - MSN

msn.com

Five deaths in a Maldives cave dive reveal how risk homeostasis and groupthink can turn expert confidence into a fatal blind spot underwater.

Risk HomeostasisGroupthinkDunning-Kruger EffectNormalization of Deviance

Theory Briefing

  • Five Italian tourists, including a university professor and his daughter, died exploring underwater caves 160ft deep in the Maldives.
  • Cave diving at such depths dramatically compresses decision-making time, a classic setting where risk homeostasis theory predicts over-confidence in skilled groups.
  • Diving as a social group can suppress individual caution through groupthink, making collective fatal errors more likely even among experienced divers.