bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Matching Instructional Media with Instructional Demands
Authors: Sierra Edmundo A. , Fisk Arthur D. , Rogers Wendy A.
Published: January 2012

Video instruction is an effective support for audio instruction of visuospatial tasks; but how is effectiveness of this type of instruction moderated? We investigated the effects of age-related cognitive changes, audio versus audio-plus-video instructions, differential working memory instruction demands, and differential task difficulty on assembly task performance. Forty-eight young adults and 48 older adults completed an assembly task where accuracy, use of additional time, repetition of steps, and subjective mental workload were measured. Results indicated that participants receiving audio plus video instruction benefited most as task difficulty increased. Older adults performed more poorly compared to young adults; however, the findings indicate that video-based instruction was beneficial for both young and older adults for this class of task. Results are discussed from a training perspective in general and as they relate to telemedicine specifically. Guidelines for applying the correct instructional media as a function of the instructional demands are discussed.
Supporting the Analysis Phase of Team Training Design
Authors: van Berlo Marcel P.W.
Published: January 2012

With respect to team training, traditional instructional design (ID) guidelines, mainly aimed at training at the individual level, seem to be insufficient given the different nature and characteristics of teams and team performance. In order to provide adequate support, guidelines have been developed supporting the analysis of team tasks. The aim of this quasi-experiment was to measure the effect of two versions of guidelines on the quality of the ID process. This was achieved by combining several methods of data collection and qualitative analysis. This paper discusses an approach to the empirical validation of the ID guidelines and the implications for further research on ID for team training.
Evaluating Guidelines Concerning the Use of Text and Audio in Web-Based Training
Authors: Van Duyne Lori Rhodenizer , Ryan-Jones David L. , Hamel Cheryl J. , White John M.
Published: January 2012

As distance learning becomes more popular, many guidelines on designing web-based courses are being generated. The primary purpose of this study was to examine guidelines concerning the use of audio and text in web-based material. Materials were developed which tested different combinations of text (full versus bullets) and audio. Participants who took these different lessons on interoperability, a modeling and simulation concept, were tested with either a recognition or recall test. Three main findings are reported. First, the results of this study indicate that audio only or audio in combination with bullets resulted in higher test scores than text only, bullets only, and audio with text. Second, the results of this research also indicate that participants who were given a recognition test scored significantly higher than those who took a recall test. Finally, the results of this study also suggest that the information learned does not decay within a few hours of training.
The Propriocpetive Aftereffects of Prism Adaptation Influence Interlimb Rhythmic Coordination
Authors: Black David , Riley Michael A.
Published: January 2012

Adaptation to prisms can produce a change in felt arm position, termed proprioceptive shift. We studied the effects of prism-induced proprioceptive shift on interlimb rhythmic coordination performed under haptic (proprioceptive) guidance, in the absence of vision. Relative to interlimb rhythmic coordination performed before prism exposure, the observed steady states of relative phase for post-exposure coordination were shifted by a small but reliable amount. The shift was in the direction expected given the direction of optical displacement. The amount of variability of interlimb rhythmic coordination was unaffected by prism exposure. The implications of the results apply to virtual environment design.
The Ethics of Telepresence: Human Factors Considerations in Preserving Privacy
Authors: Noel Ronald W. , Hunter Claudia M.
Published: January 2012

The design of telepresence systems is a problem in both ethics and in human factors. Designers have an obligation to provide systems that meet society's needs and wants for surveillance, while preserving as much of its citizens' privacy as possible. The results of two surveys reported in this paper indicate that people have fewer concerns about systems with low-resolution audio and visual capabilities that preserve some level of privacy than they do about high-resolution systems that enable full visual and auditory identification. They also differentiate between uses of surveillance that have more potential impact on their lives (supervisors watching or listening to them at work) than for uses that simply catch them within a space (being watched or listened to in a restaurant). Examining the problems inherent in preserving privacy actually provide the design criteria for ethical telepresence systems.
Comparing Quantitative Model Predictions to Experimental Data in Multiple-UAV Flight Control
Authors: Dixon Stephen R. , Wickens Christopher D. , Chang Dervon
Published: January 2012

Thirty-six licensed pilots from the University of Illinois Aviation Institute performed simulated military surveillance missions with one and/or two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Pilots were responsible for navigating each UAV through a series of mission legs in one of the following conditions: 1) a baseline condition with all manual flight controls and visual displays; 2) an auditory offload condition that provided auto-alerts and other relevant information to the auditory channel; and 3) an automation condition that provided auto-pilot control of the UAV. Pilots were responsible for mission completion, target search, and systems monitoring. Results indicate that the two offloads are beneficial in reducing task interference and overall workload. Three theories, with corresponding workload models, were discussed in order to evaluate predicted pilot performance. Single channel theory was able to explain some of results in the baseline condition, while single resource theory and multiple resource theory were better able to explain reduced task interference in the automation and auditory conditions.
Automatically Wrong
Authors: Gawron Valerie J. , Peer Jeffrey H.
Published: January 2012

Automation-induced errors have been causal factors in many recent aviation accidents. Until this study, no in-flight data were available to investigate the response of commercial pilots in responding to an automation-related accident scenario. As part of an evaluation of airplane upset recovery training approaches, 40 pilots were exposed to an aircraft accident in which automation was determined to be a factor. This accient was the China Airlines Airbus 300–600 accident in Nagoya Japan. The accident occurred during an ILS approach in which the aircraft began a steep pitch up due to an inadvertent activation of the Go Around Mode. A Veridian Learjet in-flight simulator was used to collect the data. An inflight simulator is a flyable aircraft whose stability and control characteristics and inceptor characteristics can be easily varied and changed while flying in order to emulate those of a simulated aircraft. Only twelve out of 36 pilots (i.e., 33%) recovered. Pilots responses in relation to the automation are discussed.
Pilot Attitudes in Comparing U.S. Army Glass Cockpit and Traditional Crew Station Designs
Authors: Rash Clarence E. , Adam Gina E. , LeDuc Patricia A. , Francis Gregory
Published: January 2012

The crew station instrument panel of U.S. Army rotary-wing cockpits has changed from one of traditional displays (e.g., gauges and dials) to one using multifunction displays (MFDs). The newer design is referred to as a “glass cockpit.” Pilots generally approve of the introduction of glass cockpit designs, and there is significant evidence that commercial aircraft with glass cockpit designs have fewer accidents. However, a recent study of U.S. Army rotary-wing aircraft comparing accident rates between traditional and glass cockpit models of the same aircraft type found evidence for higher accident rates in the glass cockpit models. Since the design of future aircraft will almost certainly include glass cockpits, it is important to explain this finding. To identify characteristics of glass cockpit designs that might be contributing to the accident rate differences, pilots of both traditional and glass cockpit models of the OH-58 Kiowa and AH-64 Apache helicopters were surveyed regarding their attitudes toward traditional and glass cockpit designs in the areas of workload, safety, crew coordination, situational awareness, and training. The survey results suggest that the pilots of glass cockpit aircraft generally have more positive attitudes toward their cockpit than the pilots of traditional cockpit displays. Significantly, though, pilot ratings of some aspects of workload and training were more favorable for the traditional cockpit design than for the glass cockpit design, so further investigation on those areas offers the best chance of explaining the accident rate differences.
The Concordance of Subjective Measures and Military Pilot Performance in a study of Human-Interaction with Automation in a Complex Simulated Environment
Authors: Galster Scott M. , Parasuraman Raja
Published: January 2012

Eight pilots with military experience completed a study of human-interaction with automation in a complex and dynamic air-to-ground search and destroy mission. Each pilot completed 32 ten-minute scenarios. Performance measures and subjective measures of mental workload, situation awareness, trust, confidence, and automation reliability were recorded after each scenario. An analysis of the agreement of the subjective measures between scenario types was performed. The results indicated that there was a high level of agreement between all of the subjective measures. Further, the subjective measures were similar, but not identical to the performance measures ranked by scenario type. Design implications are discussed.
Verbal Protocols in Real-Time Dynamic Decision-Making
Authors: Gonzalez Cleotilde
Published: January 2012

This study presents the results from the analyses of verbal protocols elicited from inexperienced and experienced participants of a real-time, Dynamic Decision-Making (DDM) task. This research intends to complement a series of studies performed in DDM environments analyzing the cognitive structures and processes involved in learning in DDM. Results show that inexperienced and experienced participants differ in several ways: in the way they distribute attention to different parts of the system, in their awareness of the relationship of the attributes involved in the decision making process, and in their coordination to make decisions in real time. These results have been used to support the refinement of a cognitive model developed to explain how people learn in DDM tasks.
Determining the Weights of Scheduling and Responding in the Control of a dynamic System
Authors: Meyer Joachim , Bitan Yuval
Published: January 2012

Operators of complex systems combine actions they schedule and initiate, and actions they perform as responses to events (such as alarms). Previous studies showed qualitative changes in the effect of scheduling and responding, but no quantitative measures of the relative weight of scheduled and respondent actions were available. The paper suggests the use of standardized weights from logistic regression analyses as a possible measure. The measure was computed for responses of individual users in a study in which participants had to monitor three stations that required different rates of interventions. The experimental conditions differed in the reliability of a warning system that indicated a possible malfunction in a station and in the system's predictability. Logistic regressions were run to predict operator actions as a function of the time since the last action and of the information from the warning system. The weights were found to be sensitive to the diagnostic value of the warning indicator and the predictability of the system.
Fitting Human Data with Fast, Frugal, and Computable Models of Decision-Making
Authors: Campbell Gwendolyn E. , Bolton Amy E.
Published: January 2012

There is a long-standing debate regarding the extent to which human decision-making processes are “rational” in the formal sense of the word. One approach to evaluating and contrasting the psychological validity of multiple theories of decision-making is to statistically calculate the predictive validity of the algorithms and equations that instantiate those theories against actual human performance data. Previously, we presented the predictive validity results of linear regression and fuzzy logic models of decision-making data generated by participants in a military-like task (Campbell, Buff, Rhodenizer, & Dorsey, 1999). In this paper, we evaluate the predictive validity of four “fast and frugal” algorithms against these same data. While no single approach will resolve the debate regarding the nature of decision-making processes, each adds a piece to the puzzle. A better understanding of decision-making processes could improve our ability to train and provide performance support for all types of decision-makers.
Adaptive Communication Patterns in Different Organizational Structures
Authors: Entin Elliot E. , Diedrich Frederick J. , Rubineau Brian
Published: January 2012

How do organizations cope with missions that are not well matched to their architectures, and consequently, what behaviors signal the need for structural adaptation? To explore this issue, we used model-based organizational design techniques to create mission scenarios that were either congruent (matched) or incongruent (mismatched) with two organizational structures. We focused our analyses on the role of communications by comparing the communication patterns occurring in the congruent conditions to those produced in the incongruent conditions. Results indicated that, for both functional and divisional organizations, communications increased when faced with incongruence. However, beyond volume of communications, there were differences in communication patterns. In the functional organizational structure team members changed their communication patterns (i.e., who talked about what), while in the divisional organizational structure team members did so to a much lesser degree. These data showed that strategy adaptation depends on the nature of organization's structure operating within particular mission environments.
The Cognitive Engineering of Everyday Activities
Authors: Shattuck Lawrence G. , Obradovich Jodi Heintz
Published: January 2012

Cognitive engineers study complex systems in context Yet the same phenomena they observe in professional environments are also apparent in the everyday activities of people. In this paper, a case study is used to illustrate how the principles and theories employed to study complex cognitive systems are just as applicable for routine activities. The case study involves four people traveling from three different locations, meeting at an airport, and proceeding to a business meeting with a fifth person. Although the plan failed, the events surrounding the trip provide an opportunity to discuss cognitive engineering concepts such as planning and execution, replanning, coordination, and internal representations, The paper suggests that applying cognitive engineering methods to the study of everyday activities may provide valuable insights into more complex systems.
Putting Time (Back) Into Dynamic Function Allocation
Authors: Hildebrandt Michael , Harrison Michael
Published: January 2012

This position paper discusses extensions to concepts of Dynamic Function Allocation (DFA) that could improve our understanding of the trade-offs involved in designing and operating human-automation systems. We suggest that current DFA paradigms, focusing predominantly on allocation along the human-automation resource dimension, may provide an insufficient basis for design decisions as they fail to take account of alternative function management strategies. Of these strategies, Dynamic Function Scheduling (DFS), the allocation of functions along the temporal dimension, is of particular interest, not least because scheduling is both a mature engineering discipline and a ubiquitous aspect of human behavior. Understanding these scheduling decisions requires consideration of the temporal properties of functions (e.g. continuous, periodic, sporadic, pre-emptable, interleavable), temporal requirements (e.g. deadlines), and the temporal properties of the agents, human or automatic (e.g. service rates, interruption handling, task switch costs, temporal reasoning abilities, control modes). The paper reviews engineering and human factors approaches that could support the representation, analysis and design of DFS.
Computer Aided Cognition to Support Problem-Centered Decomposition of Complex Problems
Authors: McNeese Michael , Hall David L.
Published: January 2012

Complex problems such as analysis of military situation assessment, homeland defense, diagnosis of the health of complex systems, medical diagnosis, and environmental monitoring require the ability to utilize a wide variety of data such as signals, images, textual information, and scalar data. The rapid evolution of micro-scale sensors, wideband communications, and microprocessors enables the collection and dissemination of huge amounts of data to be provided to a human analyst. Unfortunately, the analyst cannot directly understand nor process the data. Instead, analysts reason about high-level abstractions via language. A challenge exists to decompose general problems into detailed models that link to specific types of data (viz., problem centered decomposition) and to compose data into meaningful relationships to assist the understanding of semantic representations of abstract concepts. This paper discusses the challenge of problem-centered analysis (including problem centered decomposition and problem centered composition) and describes our efforts to develop cognitive aids to assist the analysis process for improved understanding of complex problems.
Evaluating an Information Display for Clinical Decision Making in the Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Miller Anne , Sanderson Penelope
Published: January 2012

This paper reports the evaluation of a Recursive-Diagnostic Framework (RDF) based paper prototype for a clinical information system in the intensive care unit (ICU). Based on an observation of the reliability and validity of RDF concepts when applied to real-world data, it was hypothesised that an RDF-based information design might facilitate more efficient information processing by ICU medical and nursing staff. Eight nurses and four senior medical consultants participated in an experimental protocol that involved completing ICU tasks with patient data using conventional vs RDF designs. Nurses were asked to complete change detection tasks, whereas doctors completed diagnostic tasks. The results of the experiments show that nurses were able to identify significantly more changed parameters over broader time spans using the new design compared to the old. Doctors show greater levels of diagnostic agreement using the new design. These findings support the view that the structure of information in the new design better supports ICU roles and common situation awareness.
Investigating the Effects of Modality and Instruction on Structural Knowledge
Authors: Evans A. William , Hoeft Raegan M. , Jentsch Florian G. , Bowers Clint A. , Camizzi Erin
Published: January 2012

Previous research has shown that individuals process stimuli differently based on the modality in which the stimuli are presented. In an effort to further understand how stimuli are processed and organized, the current study utilized card sorting in one of three media modalities (text only, picture only, and text and picture combined) and in one of two instructional styles (free sort or structured sort, via function) to assess the degree of sharedness between the resulting mental models. It was believed that structure sorts would produces greater levels of sharedness and that the semantic nature of the structured sort would yield the greatest levels of sharedness in the text only condition. Structured sorts did in fact produce better results than unstructured sorts as expected; however, in the structured sort, the picture only condition provided the best results. In addition, comparisons were made to a previous study suggesting that the proper instruction by modality combination should be evaluated based on domain and desired outcomes. The implications of these findings as well as the need for further research are discussed.
The Thin-Client Paradox: Using Simulations to Weigh Risk and Create Balance
Authors: Cook Michael K. , Zavod Merrill J.
Published: January 2012

The work presented here demonstrates the use of Monte Carlo Simulation to explore the risks and benefits of transitioning a customer-service application from an older terminal-based architecture and character-based interface to a “thin-client” architecture and web-browser interface. Examples of both applications were modeled in order to examine the paradoxical relationship between human and computer resource efficiencies associated with the transition. Simulated trials of the web-based model predicted that the increase in page size (measured in bytes) associated with the newer model would have less of an effect on business productivity and customer experience than would a decrease in number of pages to be viewed or increased human information processing time due to increased data density per page. The collaboration between system and human factors engineers during the effort is discussed and recommendations are provided for design strategies focused on achieving balance between human and computer resource efficiencies.
Tactile Melodies in user Interfaces
Authors: van Veen Hendrik A.H.C. , van Erp Jan B. F.
Published: January 2012

The application of dynamic vibrotactile displays in user interfaces is still a rare situation. There are, however, several important advantages of using the sense of touch as an information channel, especially in relation to overloaded or unavailable visual and auditory channels. We propose here to make good use of the qualities of the sense of touch in the temporal domain by suggesting the usage of tactile melodies in user interfaces. In an explorative study we investigated the perception of such tactile melodies and found that tactile melodies often lead to a rich perceptual experience, as testified by the ability of the subjects in our study to describe such signals in detail. We conclude that die application of tactile melodies in user interfaces seems feasible, provided careful consideration is given to the creation of an intuitive connection between tactile melodies and the messages they are meant to convey.
Integrating Usability into use Cases: An Empirical Study of User-Centered Object Orientation
Authors: Li Qian , Henning Robert
Published: January 2012

Usability concerns for a planned web-based decision-support application were gathered through a survey of potential end users and then integrated into two sets of object-oriented specifications: the function-oriented and the use-case specifications. Correspondingly, software developers (N=6) as paid subjects participated in a two-condition between-subjects experiment: the function-oriented condition (N=3) vs the use-case condition (N=3). Each developer was instructed to implement the web-based decision-support application that complies with the given specifications. Developers' performance and preferences for using the given specifications were examined. Analysis of the six developed web applications indicates that user interface architecture is markedly influenced by the “orientation” of the specifications. Given a list of system functionalities, the three developers constructed three web applications in a way of mainly presenting the relevant information; whereas the three developers in the use-case condition programmed advanced interactive and adaptive user interface features to visualize the given use cases. The present laboratory study together with a usability test (in process) provides empirical support for applying the proposed integrated interface design methodology as a value-added design approach to better programming performance and improved user interface usability.
What's in a Conversation? Addressing the Impact of Web Applications on Associate-Customer Conversations
Authors: Al-Safar Jennifer A. , Zavod Merrill J. , Fulop Ann C.
Published: January 2012

The ability to deliver quality customer service should not be hindered by the use of software applications. However, the nature and quality of associate-customer interactions may be greatly impacted by the conversational flows mandated by specific applications due to interface variables (e.g., navigation) as well as underlying system infrastructures (i.e., mainframe vs. web-based). If the conversational flow required by an application does not synchronize with the conversational flow preferred by the associate (user) and customer, the result can be frustration on the part of the user, as well an inability to meet the needs of the customer. The present effort attempted to isolate and define the component parts and patterns of an associate-customer conversation associated with a current mainframe-based application, as well as to determine potential effects during a transition of the application to a web-based platform. Associate-customer interactions were analyzed while utilizing a current mainframe-based version of a customer-service application, as well as three prototype web-based versions of the same application, each employing a different navigational and download structure. From these evaluations was culled a set of distinct conversational types that may occur during an interaction. While the applications were onscreen, conversational patterns did not differ between the mainframe and web-based applications or among the three web-based applications. However, during periods of downtime while waiting for the application to load, it was found that a single-page scrolling web application with a single up-front download period yielded the highest percentage of rapport-building “niceties”, business profitable “selling” comments, with the least amount of silence. In contrast, it was found that a web application divided into 27 navigable pages and download times resulted in the least percentage of nicety conversation and selling and the highest percentage of silent time.
The Postural Comfort Zone for Reaching Gestures
Authors: Kölsch Mathias , Beall Andrew C. , Turk Matthew
Published: January 2012

We have proposed a method for objective assessment of postural comfort (Kölsch et al., 2003). We defined comfort as the range of postures that is voluntarily assumed despite the availability of other postures. Designing user interfaces within the limits of comfort zones can avert risks associated with unknown alternative use patters of the interface.

Here we report on a user study that investigated the comfort zone for free-hand gestures in the horizontal plane at about stomach height. This space is of particular interest to novel technologies such as gesture recognition and virtual reality. The results are in line with previous studies on postural discomfort, but improve on resolution and are not based on subjective, questionnaire-based data acquisition. This study also serves as an example for how to design studies for comfort evaluation.
The Effects of Defendant Profit Information on Compensatory and Punitive Damage Awards in Civil Litigation
Authors: Paige Danielle L. , Laughery Kenneth R. , Bean Richard N.
Published: January 2012

Three experiments were conducted in order to examine the effects of defendant wealth on civil litigation damage award decisions. Wealth was manipulated in each experiment by presenting participants with either high or low company profit information for that year. All participants read three trial scenarios in which the defendant Manufacturer was found responsible for the plaintiffs injuries. Fifty-two participants awarded economic damages in the first experiment. Contrary to law, profit information influenced the economic awards, such that high profits resulted in significantly higher award amounts and award variances. In the second experiment, 50 participants awarded pain and suffering awards. These awards were not influenced by profit information. The final experiment (n=55) involved punitive damage awards. Higher profits increased both the magnitude and variability of punitive awards.
Beliefs about Bilingual Labels on Consumer Products
Authors: Lim Raymond W. , Wogalter Michael S.
Published: January 2012

There is increasing number of people living in the United States who do not speak or read English, and who understand exclusively Spanish. The present study sought to gain insight into people's beliefs on issues related to the use of bilingual labels (English and Spanish) on consumer products. The results of a questionnaire completed by 342 U.S. citizens showed strong agreement that people who intend to live in the U.S. should learn English, and that bilingual labels are important to people in the U.S. who do not read English. They also strongly disagree that bilingual labeled products should not be sold in the U.S. and that such labeling would indicate a lower quality product. Implications for the use of two or more languages on labels of U.S. consumer products are discussed.
Demonstration of the Surface Management System: An Air Traffic Control Decision Support Tool
Authors: Hitt James M. , Brinton Christopher J. , Walton Deborah H.
Published: January 2012

The Surface Management System (SMS) is an information and decision support tool designed for use by air traffic (AT) controllers and traffic managers. Developed by NASA and the FAA, the goals of SMS are to: 1) provide information and decision support for tactical and strategic air traffic control tasks to increase situational awareness of surface operations through knowledge of current and future demand; 2) maximize airport throughput and minimize surface delays by increasing efficiency and coordinating arrival and departure management; and 3) assist FAA controllers and traffic managers in handling surface operations by predicting and displaying future demand. To reach these goals, SMS provides flight-specific and aggregate demand and delay information on display interfaces including map displays, timelines, load graphs, and flight and status tables. The information presented on these displays and the display format has evolved through human factors demonstrations and evaluations during the SMS human-centered development process.
Interactive and Relational Database of International Gestures
Authors: Rehfeld Sherri A. , Alderson R. Matt , Jentsch Florian G.
Published: January 2012

The current project reviewed and synthesized relevant research in the area of non-verbal communication. This information was amalgamated with commercially-available information in order to create an extensive electronic library of gestures that incorporates previously established population norms by culture and region. Using 3-D animation software (Poser 4), representations of different gestures were created and incorporated into a computerized database. This database contains gestures, illustrations, meanings, as well as the country to which the gesture is relevant. The database is readily accessible and can be referenced by the name, description, and meaning of the gesture as well as the referenced source. Thus, this work lays the scientific foundation for a learning system that allows travelers and military personnel to look for and interpret non-verbal cues of individuals and groups. To this end, the database is currently used as a research tool to study the context and learning of gestures in cultural context. The demonstration presents the synthesized information as well as the animation software used to create this database.
How Well is Human Factors Recognized as a Household Name?
Authors: Doherty Shawn M. , Frederick-Recascino Christina , Greene Fran A.
Published: January 2012

This paper outlines a survey provided to introductory psychology students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University regarding their exposure to the concept of human factors. The purpose of this survey was to provide an assessment of a priori student knowledge of our discipline. The results suggest that students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University have been exposed to the ideas of human factors, but may lack knowledge about specifics in the field. This may reflect a growing awareness of the discipline, in general, but also suggests that more detailed information and exposure is needed for students.
An Approach to Teaching Cognitive Systems Engineering: Making Abstraction Hierarchy Concrete
Authors: Ntuen Celestine A.
Published: January 2012

The extent to which RAH has impact on teaching cognitive systems engineering was explored. Data on graduate students' performance and feedback was used to study how people perceive and are cognizant of problem solving knowledge based on the five levels of RAH. We use abstraction congruency scores (ACS) to assess their correlation loading on perception and cognition factors. The result ACSs were loaded into both the cognitive and perceptual continua of RAH. The student percentage scores were used to obtain how people perceive knowledge relationships at the five levels of the abstraction hierarchy. The result showed that the system functional purpose was correlated with all other properties below the RAH echelon. General and abstraction functions were correlated (r = 0.69, p = 0.0003). These correlation values tell us how knowledge in the abstraction hierarchy is related and how the students perform in understanding these five components of abstraction hierarchy. These findings are important in teaching reasoning strategies during problem solving and representing prototypical concepts related to goal achievement in system design
Placement Opportunities for Human Factors Engineering and Ergonomics Professionals in Industry and Government/Military Positions
Authors: Voorheis Christopher M. , Snead Andrea E. , Moroney William F.
Published: January 2012

During the period from January 2002 through December 2002, the Placement Service of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society distributed announcements describing 141 new positions available for human factors and ergonomics professionals. This paper describes placement opportunities for HF and ergonomics professionals in Industry and Government/Military (N=117). The attributes of the position descriptions examined include: employment sector, major field of study, degree requirements, required work experience, salary, geographic location, travel, and areas of expertise.

The type of industry seeking most employees was Consulting at 32%. The most frequently specified major field of study was Human Factors (N=73). Forty-nine percent of positions describe the master's degree as the minimum requirement. The geographical areas with the most jobs were East Central (N=20) and the Mid Atlantic (N=17). Finally, the area of expertise most frequently requested by employers was Human Computer Interaction (N=23) and Human Factors/Ergonomics (N=32) was the most commonly specified job expertise/function.
Perceptions of Parking Facilities: Factors to Consider in Design and Maintenance
Authors: Mendat Christina C. , Wogalter Michael S.
Published: January 2012

There are a number of factors to consider when developing new parking lots and modifying existing structures. The present research reports the results of two studies designed to assess perceived problems of parking facilities. In the first study, 319 participants were asked to generate a set of parking facility-related problems from their life experience. These were categorized into different problem categories. The second had participants rate the 30 problem categories. Five main factors were identified: (a) Compliance and Visibility, (b) Layout and Design, (c) Safety and Crowding, (d) Difficulties at Access Points and Environment, and (e) Aesthetics. Aspects of each of these factors have implications for improving parking facilities.
Barra Da Tijuca: The Car-Oriented Place — An Ergonomic Approach to Pedestrians Difficulties
Authors: Amado G. , De Moraes A.
Published: January 2012

The rising of the automobile helped the development of the cities, bringing important changes for the behavior of its habitants. However, the urban designers sometimes underestimated people needs when walking in the streets. The objective of this paper is to provide an ergonomic approach about the difficulties of Americas Avenue faced by pedestrians. This avenue is an important highway of Barra da Tijuca borough, located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and it is one of the most dangerous ways of the city, because of its high index of run over reports. This research is based on assistematics observations and questionnaire form application, that helps us to reflect about the behavior of people before the barriers imposed by built environment. The results showed that the pedestrians, even if aware of deadly risks, prefer to disrespect the safe rules of the transit in attempting to reach the destiny in less time. It is possible to verify how that area is oriented, almost exclusively, for cars and how the urban space can induce the actions of the user.
Human Factors Considerations in the Design of an Aircraft Maintenance Hangar
Authors: Rantanen Esa M. , Butts Thomas A. , Wojtowicz David S. , Webb Michelle L. , Marin Ann K.
Published: January 2012

Many human factors issues in aircraft maintenance are directly related to the technicians' working environment and can be addressed in the maintenance facility design. The goal of this project was to identify and catalog human factors issues that should be considered from the outset in the design of a new maintenance facility for the Institute of Aviation at the University of Illinois. Towards this end, the structure and functionality of the existing hangar was examined, the technicians were interviewed, and their tasks analyzed. Based on these data as well as results from link- and activity relationship analyses, human factors requirements were listed for each functional area of the proposed facility. A suggested layout for the new facility represents an optimum relative arrangement of the workspaces, positioning of the aircraft in the main hangar, and the flow of tools, materials, and documents within the facility from an explicitly human-centered perspective.
Effects of Chair Design on Toddler Behavior
Authors: Hedge Alan , Jaitli Ruchika , Jagdeo Jason , Ruder Michelle , Akaogi Mia
Published: January 2012

Two experiments tested the effects of a test chair with a height adjustable seat and footrest on the functional abilities and mealtime behavior of toddlers. Experiment 1 showed that the provision of a footrest increased the reach distances of toddlers and decreased their fidgeting and body stabilization movements, but did not affect their task persistence. Experiment 2 was conducted in the homes of subjects, and it compared the mealtime behavior of toddlers when they were sitting in the test chair and in a booster seat. Although no significant effects of seating type on either the frequency or duration of patterns of mealtime behavior could be demonstrated, all families reported a preference for the test chair.
The Etiquette Perspective for Human-Automation Relationships: Applications, Models and Results
Authors: Miller Christopher A.
Published: January 2012

At last year's HFES Annual Meeting, we presented a panel on the topic of The Etiquette Perspective for Human-Automation Relationships asking what etiquette might mean when applied to human-machine interactions and whether a consideration of etiquette in those settings might be a useful addition to our set of design tools. As a result of that panel, a subsequent, multi-day symposium sponsored by the American Association for Artificial Intelligence (Miller, 2002), and additional research, some answers are beginning to emerge. This year's panel will work toward refining the definition of etiquette as it applies to human-automation interaction, illustrating and justifying its utility in design and evaluation (through concrete results whenever possible), and providing suggestions for future work in this area.
A Framework for Developing Evaluation Metrics of Information Complexity in Automation Displays
Authors: Xing Jing
Published: January 2012

This report addresses whether information displayed by an automation tool facilitates task performance. While the tools are intended to provide decision support and offload tasks from controllers, they also create new tasks associated with entering, retrieving and processing information. Dissonances between multiple tools further increase the system complexity. The question is how to evaluate the information complexity of an automation tool. Using the air traffic control system as a model of dynamic human-automation interaction, we proposed a framework for developing objective evaluation metrics of information complexity in automated display systems. The framework postulated that the information complexity should be evaluated at three levels of constraint: physical constraint, human constraint, and system constraint. Each constraint can have multiple factors that contribute to information complexity. The framework incorporated many human factors studies on interface evaluation. We expect this framework to serve as a guideline for future research in designing and evaluating the information display of automation tools.
User Modelling for Intent Prediction in Information Analysis
Authors: Santos Eugene , Nguyen Hien , Zhao Qunhua , Wang Hua
Published: January 2012

User modelling is a key element in successfully assisting intelligence analysts who must gather information and make decisions without being overloaded by the massive amounts of data available on a daily basis most of which are irrelevant. Furthermore, with user modelling, we can predict the goals and intentions of the analyst in order to better serve their information seeking tasks by providing better re-organization and presentation of data as well as pro-actively retrieve novel and relevant information as it arises. Our goal is to provide a dynamic user model of an analyst and work with him as he goes about his daily tasks.
Driver Attitudes, Beliefs and Reported Behavior Associated with Sharing Public Roads with Farm Vehicles
Authors: Costello Theresa M. , Wogalter Michael S.
Published: January 2012

In previous research, farmers identified farm-vehicle public-road crashes as their top safety concern. In addition, they indicated other drivers' lack of respect as a major safety problem. One purpose of this research was to identify non-farm vehicle driver attitudes, beliefs and self-reported driving behaviors that are associated with disrespectful public road behavior toward farm vehicles. A second purpose was to examine the relationship between non-farm vehicle driver attitudes, beliefs and behaviors and how they interpret farm vehicle driver hand signals. Pearson correlations (n = 267) assisted in categorizing non-farm vehicle drivers into low-, medium-, and high-risk driver profiles. Drivers growing up on or near a farm significantly more strongly interpreted a description of a farm vehicle driver's hand signal to indicate a left turn. Responses of drivers not growing up on or near a farm were more variable. Implications for preventing disrespectful driver behavior and avoiding incorrect interpretation of farm vehicle driver signals are discussed.
Characteristics of Drivers Involved in Fifteen-Passenger van Rollover Accidents
Authors: Sweeney Margaret M. , Bruce Deborah S.
Published: January 2012

Fifteen-passenger vans, which make up about 0.25 percent of the passenger vehicle fleet in the United States, are frequently used to transport school sports teams, van pools, church groups, and other groups. Although they are involved in a proportionate number of fatal accidents compared to their percentage in the fleet, they are involved in a higher number of single-vehicle accidents involving rollovers than are other passenger vehicles. The purpose of this paper is to identify the association of driver characteristics with van rollover. Results indicate that driver sex and driver-related factors (failure to keep in proper lane, driving too fast for conditions, and over correcting) are related to van rollover. Driver training and experience as well as technology have potential to prevent 15-passenger van rollover accidents.
The Pilot Personality and Individual Differences in the Stress Response
Authors: Cuevas Haydee M.
Published: January 2012

Everyday many pilots are able to successfully perform in stressful, high demand, high workload environments under conditions of time pressure and uncertainty. These capable pilots are attributed with having the personality characteristics, coping strategies, and skills necessary for dealing with such difficult situations. The present discussion will review current theorizing on the factors that may mitigate the stress response and identify the prevalence of these variables in pilots, as compared to the general population, in an attempt to gain a better understanding of pilot performance under stress. Implications for personnel selection and training will be discussed in the context of cognitive appraisal.
Wrist and Forearm Movements While Homing in on Precision Targets
Authors: Shyhalla Kathleen
Published: January 2012

To determine whether people employed different movement strategies when they homed in on precision targets during repetitive tapping tasks, homing in movements were isolated for analysis. The time required to home in on the targets and the absolute magnitudes of peaks in joint velocities during homing in were calculated. In addition, the number of times that three types of corrective actions: changes in movement direction, inflections in velocity, and peaks in velocity, were made during pronation/supination and in radial/ulnar actions were counted.

The number of times each type of corrective action was made was regressed against the time required for homing in. The relationships were highly linear, with correlation coefficients between 0.78 and 0.94. The implication was that corrective actions occurred at a similar mean frequency, regardless of the level of task precision and that homing in was a very active process at all levels of precision studied. The number of times any type of corrective action was taken increased significantly with increased precision (P < 0.001).

The mean absolute magnitudes of pronation/supination and radial/ulnar velocities declined significantly with increased task precision (P < 0.001). However, the fact that the number of corrective actions increased with increased task precision showed that the movements toward the high precision targets were not just ‘slowed down’ versions of the movements to the low precision targets.

Differences between the number of corrective actions, and the magnitudes of peak velocities for tasks of different levels of precision reflect different biomechanical stresses at the wrist and forearm for the different tasks. These differences are expected to result in different effects on shoulder muscles at different levels of precision.