Shining a light on psychological blind spots in regulation
Discover how reflective practice, challenging assumptions, and supportive team cultures can strengthen safety-critical regulation.
At the Thomas Ashton Institute, we worked with colleagues at Alliance Manchester Business School on a project exploring an issue that often goes unnoticed in safety-critical industries: the hidden psychological biases that shape regulatory decisions. From nuclear safety to environmental protection, regulators operate in complex environments where assumptions, habits and mental shortcuts can quietly influence how risks are judged.
Professor Sharon Clarke, Organisational Psychology, Alliance Manchester Business School explains:
鈥淲hile we often think of regulation as a technical or procedural task, human psychology plays a central role in the way decisions are actually made on the ground.鈥�
Our project brought together inspectors and regulators from across the UK to understand how these 鈥渂lind spots鈥� emerge 鈥� and what can be done to manage them. Through workshops, reflection exercise and practical tools, participants explored strategies for questioning their own assumptions, examining emotional responses and creating team environments where challenge and alternative viewpoints are genuinely welcomed.
The work revealed something important: managing bias isn鈥檛 about eliminating human judgement, but about supporting it. Regulators told us how valuable it was to step back, reflect and recognise the thinking patterns shaping their decisions. The research also highlighted that meaningful change requires ongoing practice, not one-off sessions.
This collaboration has helped strengthen regulatory decision-making by making space for awareness, openness and critical thinking.
This work matters because it highlights how psychological biases can quietly influence regulatory decisions in safety-critical sectors. By helping regulators recognise and manage these 鈥渂lind spots鈥�, the project strengthens the quality, consistency, and fairness of oversight. The insights and tools developed through the research support more transparent decision-making, encourage healthier challenge within teams, and ultimately contribute to safer outcomes for the public and the environments regulators protect.
Read the full blog: Managing Psychological Blind Spots.