A Comparison of a Real-world and Animated Lifeguard Environment

A variety of performance tasks have been utilized to assess lifeguard drowning detection abilities. Due to the logistical complexities involved in capturing real-life drowning scenarios, such as securing pool facilities, orchestrating scripted drowning events, and controlling environmental variables, recent studies have turned to animated simulations. However, questions linger regarding the reliability of data gathered from these simulated environments. To address these concerns and evaluate the validity of a previously employed animated performance tool, we conducted a comparative analysis with real-world recorded tasks. Additionally, we sought to explore the impact of lifeguard experience and task duration on performance metrics specific to lifeguarding. Our study enlisted 32 participants in a within-subject design. Consistent with prior research, individuals with lifeguarding experience demonstrated superior performance compared to novices. Furthermore, performance levels declined over the course of the 30-minute tasks. Our analysis revealed that the animated tool produced comparable objective performance results to those obtained from real-world recordings, thus affirming its external validity. Subjective assessments of the animated tool corroborated its ecological validity as a measure of lifeguarding performance. These findings underscore the value of animated simulations in lifeguarding research while emphasizing the safety considerations associated with prolonged monitoring periods.