This idea (without the name) is very relevant in First Aid training.
For example, if you learn CPR from some organisations they will teach you compressions-only CPR, while others will also teach you to do the breaths. I have heard it claimed by first aid teachers that the reason for this is because doing the best possible CPR requires the breaths, but that someone who learned CPR one afternoon over a year ago and hasn’t practiced since is unlikely to do effective breaths, and that person would be better of keeping to compressions only.
In First Aid books a common attempt to solve this problem is to give sweeping commands at the beginning (often with the word “never” somewhat abused), and then give specific exceptions later. The aim is that if you will remember one thing it will hopefully be the blanket rule, not the specific exception. I think that method probably has something to recommend for it, its hard to imagine how you could remember the exception without remembering the rule it is an exception too.
[For example the Life Support book, tells you ‘never’ to give anyone medicine or drugs, as you are a First Aider, not a Doctor. It also tells you to give aspirin to someone having a heart attack if they have not taken any other drugs. I think it also recommends antihistamines for swelling insect stings.]
This idea (without the name) is very relevant in First Aid training.
For example, if you learn CPR from some organisations they will teach you compressions-only CPR, while others will also teach you to do the breaths. I have heard it claimed by first aid teachers that the reason for this is because doing the best possible CPR requires the breaths, but that someone who learned CPR one afternoon over a year ago and hasn’t practiced since is unlikely to do effective breaths, and that person would be better of keeping to compressions only.
In First Aid books a common attempt to solve this problem is to give sweeping commands at the beginning (often with the word “never” somewhat abused), and then give specific exceptions later. The aim is that if you will remember one thing it will hopefully be the blanket rule, not the specific exception. I think that method probably has something to recommend for it, its hard to imagine how you could remember the exception without remembering the rule it is an exception too.
[For example the Life Support book, tells you ‘never’ to give anyone medicine or drugs, as you are a First Aider, not a Doctor. It also tells you to give aspirin to someone having a heart attack if they have not taken any other drugs. I think it also recommends antihistamines for swelling insect stings.]