Disorientation and GIS-Informed Wilderness Search and Rescue

Abstract

Nowadays, Wilderness Search and Rescue (WiSAR) operations revolve around the creation of probability maps using GIS planning tools (Doherty et al, Appl Geogr 47:99–110, 2014). Although this method has proven effective, there is a missing link between WiSAR theory and advances in other fields related to disorientation (e.g. psychology and neuroscience). A unified conceptualisation of disorientation is a crucial element for understanding the mind and behaviour of disoriented subjects. The central aim of this chapter is to explore how a unified conceptualisation of disorientation can contribute to GIS-informed WiSAR theory. The paper will open with a review of the work on disorientation coming from different fields, to then introduce the conceptual work that is needed for a unified account of disorientation. We will discuss two different approaches to WiSAR theory: a ring model and a Bayesian model. We end on a discussion on how conceptual work on disorientation and GIS-informed WiSAR theory can help each other advance.