Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating Superstitious Beliefs In Technology, Gabrielle Simon, Alejandra Sosa, Michael A. Rupp, Daniel S. Mcconnell Ph.D.

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

We completed an online survey to access the relationship between a novel measure of superstitious technological beliefs (STBs), computer skill, computer use, technological trust, negative attitudes toward robots, paranormal, and anthropomorphic beliefs. Trust in complex technological systems (e.g. automation, robots, etc.) is an important factor determining whether those systems will be used appropriately, used outside of their capabilities, or not used at all which may lead to loss of human life or property. Previous research has indicated that individual differences (e.g. experience, skill) are important considerations in complex technological systems. However, more research is needed to determine how individual differences …

Examining The Restorative Effects Of Casual Video Games, Alejandra Sosa, Gabrielle Simon, Richard Sweetman, Michael A. Rupp, Daniel S. Mcconnell Ph.D.

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Individuals who work in highly stressful jobs (e.g. doctors, soldiers) struggle with the daily impact of stress-related cognitive fatigue. High-pressured job tasks and worry for job security can produce an unstable internal environment for the individual, where stress and cognitive workload can intensify. Stress-induced fatigue generates a multitude of overwhelming problems for the individual. Due to society’s growing demand of productivity and efficiency, there is an essential need for finding a cost effective way to reduce cognitive fatigue and stress for everyone. This study analyzed and compared three relaxation methods (break, meditation, & game) to determine the effectiveness of brief …

The American Girl Retail Experience, Michelle Sinagra, Rachel M. Cunningham, Katlin Anglin, Christina Frederick Dr.

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

The American Girl brand is characterized by its ability to promote identity development in young girls through play and educational experiences. Due to the accessibility of smart-devices (e.g. mobile and web based technologies) and the frequency of their use, recent trends in toy designs have shown an increase in digital/technology features. Taking this into consideration, American Girl has continuously emphasized doll-centric products and experiences that also satisfy consumer’s digital interests. American Girl’s interactive digital resources include: the entire American Girl website which features a wide selection of Games, Apps, activities, e-cards, the InnerStar University (i.e., an interactive world for My …

Testing Modality Affects Performance On The Santa Barbara Solids Test, Michael Torres, De'siree Reeves, Luke Furtak, Lexi R. Dewar, Shannon K.T. Bailey, Valerie K. Sims, James L. Szalma

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Spatial ability is associated with performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and has been used to predict the likelihood of success in these fields (Wai, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2009). Classically, spatial ability has been assessed by tests that measure general factors of spatial ability. However, these factors may be limited in that they were not developed with individual differences or cognitive theories in mind (Cohen & Hegarty, 2012). Although traditional measures of spatial ability give insight into a person’s general spatial processing, Cohen and Hegarty (2012) point out the need for theoretically motivated spatial ability tests that …

A Human Factors Analysis Of Work In Food Pantries: A Case Study Of Two Local Pantries, Nicholas A. Higgins, Danielle S. Vanderhill, Keshia D. Pierre, Jeremy Dacruz, Nicholas W. Fraulini, Andrew B. Talone

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

A Human Factors Analysis of Work in Food Pantries:

A Case Study of Two Local Pantries

Nicholas A. Higgins, B.S., Danielle S. Vanderhill, Keshia D. Pierre, Jeremy DaCruz, Nicholas W. Fraulini & Andrew B. Talone

University of Central Florida

ABSTRACT

The goal of the present study was to investigate the work environment and main work processes in two small food pantries from a human factors perspective. Current research on enhancing food pantries in general is very limited, especially with a focus on human factors improvements. This study specifically aimed to understand and evaluate food pantry design (i.e., the environment and …

The Implicit Learning Of Base-Rates: Evidence From Working Memory Disruption, Andrew Wismer, Corey Bohil

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Base-rates, or relative prevalence in the environment, play an important role in many diagnostic and categorical decisions. For example, in order for a doctor to make an appropriate diagnosis or treatment plan, he/she must be sensitive to the underlying base-rates. Early base-rate research seemed to show that people were insensitive to base-rates and poor at incorporating them into their judgments (e.g., Kahneman & Tverksy, 1973). However, more recent research has shown that people are sensitive to base-rates when they are learned through direct experience rather than presented in summary form (e.g., Bohil & Maddox, 2001; Estes, 1989). Using a category …

An Evaluation On How General Aviaton Pilots Learn Basic Meteorology, Jayde M. King, Elizabeth Blickensderfer, Jessica Cruit M.D.

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

An Evaluation on How General Aviation Pilots Learn Basic Meteorology

Jayde M. King, Jessica Cruit, M.S., Beth Blickensderfer, PhD.

Introduction. As General Aviation (GA) accidents continue to occur each year, industry officials as well as researchers search for insights into possible causes to these accidents. Weather, in particular degraded weather poses a threat to general aviation. In fact, according to Jarboe (2005), “weather-related airplane accidents led to 240 fatalities in the United States (U.S) and Puerto Rico”(pp.3-11). Considering these facts, questions rise to the degree to which GA pilots actually understand aviation weather knowledge. Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) …

Redundant Signals In The Triple Conjunction Effect, Ada D. Mishler, Mark B. Neider

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

The triple conjunction effect (TCE) is characterized by faster response times (RT) when a target is defined by three features than when it is defined by three features. Similarly, the redundant signals effect (RSE) is characterized by faster RTs when a display contains multiple features that are each sufficient to define a target. When a single display element contains multiple target features in separate feature dimensions, the RSE may be attributable to feature coactivation, in which information from multiple features combines to reach a response threshold. Because triple conjunctions contain an extra distinguishing feature, they are comparable to the RSE, …

Human Automation Systems In Spaceflight: The What, When And How Of Measurement, Chelsea Iwig, James M. Oglesby, Kevin L. Leyva, Misa Shimono, Kimberly Stowers, Eduardo Salas

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

No abstract provided.

Stress Reduction: Casual Gaming Versus Guided Relaxation, Jenny L. Stanhope, Caresse Owens, L. Jo Elliott

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Stress Reduction: Casual Gaming or Guided Relaxation

Physiological and psychological stresses are gaining more interest as they are associated with many illnesses and diseases. The development of tools to reduce stress can help reduce the risk of illness and disease and improve treatment outcomes. Research has indicated that casual gaming can help reduce physiological and psychological stress. The present research investigates how casual gaming compares in the reduction of stress to guided relaxation and sitting quietly using a between subjects design. The results show that casual gaming can improve positive affect for mood more than meditation/guided relaxation and sitting quietly. …

Reactions To Internet Security Warnings: Personal Versus University Computers, Jenny L. Stanhope, L. Jo Elliott

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Many organizations use computer security systems to protect their computers from viruses, intrusion, malware, and other hazards. Additional employees, computer security software, and employee training are time consuming and expensive. It would be beneficial to determine what could be implemented to promote behaviors among employees or students that help to increase computer security. The purpose of the present research is to determine if computer ownership plays a role in reactions to internet security pop-up warnings. University students are asked to bring their personally owned computers to the psychology lab to take a reading comprehension test. The participants are randomly assigned …

Next-Gen Virtual Reality: A Comparative Study Of Immersive Tendency And Differential Presence, Tyler Mullis, Nathan A. Sonnenfeld, Matthew Meyers, Freddy Rincon

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Advancement in Virtual Reality (VR) interface technology in recent years has grown exponentially, resulting in the design and modification of a great number of devices to bring the experience of virtual environments (VE) to the user in ways only barely conceivable just two decades ago, for a variety of applications ranging from gaming to education to simulation-based training (SBT). Our study examines how the experience of being in one environment when one is physically situated in another (known as presence) is measured in current virtual reality interfaces against standard interface systems, both available as a conglomerate of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) …

Evaluating Virtual Reality Simulators As A Training Tool For Minimally Invasive Surgery, Jennifer F. Louie, Misa Shimono

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Minimally invasive surgery offers a number of advantages over traditional open surgeries, including faster patient recovery time, fewer side effects, and improved cosmesis. However, there are also a number of difficulties involved with performing this type of surgery, including poor visuo-spatial mapping, poor depth perception, and mechanical difficulties (e.g., the fulcrum effect). Considering the decrease in residency training hours required for surgical trainees in 2011 (Rajaram et al., 2014), it is essential that surgical trainees employ training methods that would best result in high accuracy and efficiency.

Simulator-based training addresses many of the issues of traditional master-apprentice surgical training methods …

Robot Autonomy And Malfunction Affects On Trust During Human Robot Interaction, Theresa Kessler

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Many factors affect how much trust a person places in a robotic system that they work with. In particular, the reliability of a robot is a current leader in predicting trust levels in Human Robot Interaction (HRI) (Hancock, et al., 2011). Because robots are built and programmed by fallible humans, it is likely that malfunctions will occur periodically during their operation. However, the question still remains as to how a robot’s decision making capacity (level of autonomy) combined with level of information (status and projected end state) they provide to the operator affect operator trust in the system. Previous studies …

Cultural Differences In Trust Of Space Tourism Travel, Donald Hill, Scott R. Winter, Stephen Rice

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Science fiction or not, commercial space travel is on the horizon. One of the most unknown concepts to public perception is the idea of traveling by spacecraft. The next frontier for mankind is space travel; however, there are many challenges that need to be met before space tourism travel becomes a reality. There are numerous companies on the cusp of making space travel a reasonable and affordable mode of transportation. Since the idea of traveling through space is so new, there is not a lot of data available about public perception. The purpose of this research, however, is to gather …

Problematic Texting Behavior: A Look At Individual Differences, Bradford L. Schroeder, Valerie K. Sims

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Problematic Texting Behavior: A Look at Individual Differences

Bradford L. Schroeder & Valerie K. Sims

University of Central Florida

Text messaging (“texting”) is a communicative social behavior which is the most preferred form of social interaction among young adults (e.g., Harley et al., 2007; Haste, 2005; Lister, 2010; Sierkowski & Wood, 2011). Perhaps the greatest appeal of texting is its convenience – it is easily possible to communicate with anyone, regardless of either party’s location. However, the convenience of texting has opened a door to an important safety issue: texting while driving. The context of safety has been a prime …

Applying General Recognition Theory To Perception Of Racially Stereotypical Faces, Sarah E. Williams

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

A poster on research regarding perception of facial features and the application of General Recognition Theory to assess discrimination ability. Full abstract has been attached.

Airline Marketing Preferences, Kylie Johnson, Deborah Carstens Ph.D., Stephen Rice Ph.D.

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

The aim of this research is to assess airline marketing strategies providing consumer preferences to better target potential customers. The airline industry has transformed over the years, and cost and amenities have been impacted in the airline evolution. There has been consideration of whether flight cost, or flight amenities and passenger experience should be analyzed to result in enhanced marketing in the airline industry. An online survey was issued to examine which flight amenities potential customers preferred. Furthermore, the length of the flight was examined to determine if consumer preferences changed for domestic versus international flights. The survey findings are …

Investigating The Effects Of Stress On Cognitive And Emotional Moral Decision Making, Jessica Adams, Andrea Frankenstein, James Alabisa, Tyler Robinson, Tracy Alloway, Lori Lange

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

The dual-process theory accounts for how moral judgments are made: personal emotional dilemmas and impersonal cognitive dilemmas (Greene, 2007). In the Fisher and Ravizza (1992) Trolley Problem personal dilemma, you stop a runaway trolley and save all the workmen by pushing and killing one person on the tracks. In the Trolley Problem impersonal dilemma, you divert a runaway trolley and save all the workmen by throwing a switch and diverting the trolley killing one person on the tracks. In support of the dual-process theory, brain imaging research has demonstrated that brain regions linked with emotion (e.g., amygdala) are activated during …

Individual Differences In Working Memory Capacity And Reading Comprehension Of Electronic Texts, Jenny A. Walker, Thomas R. Redick

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Technology is unquestionably changing the nature of education. Computers, tablets, e-readers, and cell phones are rapidly replacing print text and handwritten notes. These devices are not only the dominating sources of communication in current society; they also represent a connecting point between information and the minds of modern students. The term working memory refers to the immediate, transitory processing and storage that takes place as an individual completes higher-order cognitive tasks. Working memory has a clear relationship with learning, reasoning, and comprehension in the classroom (Baddeley, 1992). However, each individual has a working memory capacity (WMC) which limits how much …

A Conceptual Model Of Transfer Of Training Via Virtual Environments, Nathan A. Sonnenfeld, Matthew Meyers

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

A Conceptual Model of Transfer of Training via Virtual Environments Sonnenfeld, N.A., & Meyers, M. Presentation

A review of Transfer of Training (ToT) literature over the last several decades reveals both significant advancements and gaps in our conceptualization of the transfer process and its contributing factors - especially in the domain of training via the use of virtual environments. Updating our current model of the transfer of training process is necessary to ensure adequate preparation for personnel operating in extreme environments - particularly for those training for small unit operations in dynamic environments for extended periods of time - such …

Presence In Virtuality > Reality | Review & Commentary, Matthew Meyers, Nathan A. Sonnenfeld

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Presence In Virtuality > Reality | Review & Commentary Meyers, M., & Sonnenfeld, A. Presentation

It has been demonstrated in previous literature that participants may feel more present in virtuality than in reality. Why is this? Our team of researchers propose that this phenomenon neither suggest invalidity in both objective and subjective presence measurement - nor invalidity of the construct itself. Presence, as the experience of being in an environment, is refined in our review from insight gained from three psychological schools of thought which have conflicted for over twenty years. Just as our definitions of presence evolved over the last …

Using Debated Definitions Of Affordances For A Qualitative Discussion Of Campus Affordances, Daphne Kopel, Valerie K. Sims

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

The goal of human factors is to examine and improve the relationship between individuals and their environment. This presentation will be a qualitative review and discussion of everyday environmental cues and affordances located around the University of Central Florida campus. The goal will be to discuss the relationship between the design of perceptual affordances and the user’s interpretation of the object's intention. In general, affordances explain how perception guides an individual to respond to an object or situation. The theory of affordances is widely debated in the literature. As a result, two definitions of affordances will be compared and contrasted. …

Effects Of Various Texting Engagement Levels On Recall, Katlin Anglin, Rachel M. Cunningham, Fawaaz Diljohn, Jayde King, Youngjun Kim

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Text messaging is a popular mode of communication for current college students, which is a concern due to its association with decreasing academic performance in a classroom environment. This study examined the effects of texting engagement level on learning. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University students (n=74) were shown four, one-minute lecture videos and given a quiz after each video regarding the content, which tested recall accuracy. The participants were randomly assigned to three testing engagement conditions: No texting, Low Engagement texting, and High Engagement texting. By varying the type of responses to be generated and texted, we evaluated whether the higher engagement …

Team Interaction Dynamics During Collaborative Problem Solving, Travis J. Wiltshire, Stephen M. Fiore Ph.D.

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

The need for better understanding collaborative problem solving (CPS) is rising in prominence as many organizations are increasingly addressing complex problems requiring the combination of diverse sets of individual expertise to address novel situations. This research draws from theoretical and empirical work that describes the knowledge coordination arising from team communications during CPS and builds from this by incorporating methods to study interaction dynamics. Interaction between team members in such contexts is inherently dynamic and exhibits nonlinear patterns not accounted for by extant research methods. To redress this gap, the present study draws from methods designed to study social and …

Interpreting Electroencephalography Output For Error-Related Negativity, Jenny A. Walker, Peter A. Hancock, Petros Xanthopoulos, Waldemar Karwowski, Ben D. Sawyer

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

While individuals complete cognitively demanding tasks under time pressure, the physical action of reporting a mistake may be difficult. It is possible to curtail this issue using error recognition signals in the brain, known as error-related negativity (ERN). When an individual is aware of his or her mistake, an electroencephalography (EEG) system can recognize the event in as few as 150ms (Vi & Subramanian, 2012). One issue is that ERN information is traditionally collected using cumbersome equipment and complex analysis. The goal of this study is to examine if the process can be simplified for use in applied settings. We …

Qualitative And Quantitative Analyses Of Drivers’ Attitudes Towards General Usability Of Smart Technology Specific To The Secondary Task Of Texting While Driving, Indira Maharaj

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses of Drivers’ Attitudes Towards General Usability of Smart Technology Specific to the Secondary Task of Texting While Driving

Indira Maharaj

Florida Institute of Technology

The purpose of this study was to assess the qualitative and quantitative analyses of the drivers’ attitudes towards general usability of smart technology specific to the secondary task of texting while driving for University students, age 18-35, at the Florida Institute of Technology main Campus in Melbourne, Florida. A mixed methods research design was utilized to gather data. The qualitative data was measured using content analysis, and the quantitative data was measured …

Predicting Mobile Mental Telehealth Usability Based On Individual Differences, Alexis R. Dewar, Nicole Crossland, Angelica Whiteley, Tyler P. Bull, Michael A. Rupp, Jessica R. Michaelis, James L. Szalma

Human Factors and Applied Psychology Student Conference

Due to the increased need for the delivery of successful mental health interventions in special populations (i.e., military personnel, rural populations, aging populations, etc.), mobile mental telehealth applications have been developed to supplement patient-practitioner interaction. While there is a great deal of work on both patient and practitioner satisfaction with mobile mental telehealth devices, little is known about the influence of individual differences on user perceptions of usability and usefulness. The present study seeks to better predict the usability of mobile mental telehealth applications by drawing from the Technology Acceptance Model (Davis & Venkatesh, 1996; Venkatesh & Davis, 2000; Venkatesh, …

Spiritual Formation As A Method Of Leadership Training: A Case Study At Pepperdine University, Steven Zhou

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Dallas Willard, Professor of Philosophy and Christian spiritual formation at USC, was known to define spiritual formation not as the summation of one’s good works and talents, but rather as a continual pursuit in modeling the character of Jesus Christ. This understanding of spiritual formation was applied to a group of first year students at Pepperdine University who were selected as students with high potential of becoming future leaders at Pepperdine. Most training programs on campus, such as Resident Life Formation and Volunteer Center training, currently focus on teaching students lessons of what to do in their job. In Spring …

Positive Attitudes As A Mediator Between Moral Disengagement And Cyberbullying Behaviors, Kailee Kodama, Jennifer Harriger, Elizabeth Mancuso Dr., Cindy Miller-Perrin

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Objective. The current study examined whether (1) higher moral disengagement scores would be positively correlated with higher frequencies of engaging in cyberbullying, (2) positive attitude scores would be positively correlated with higher frequencies of engaging in cyberbullying, and (3) positive attitudes towards cyberbullying would mediate links between moral disengagement and frequency of engaging in cyberbullying.

Method. Three surveys, the Mechanisms of Moral Disengagement Scale (MMD), Cyberbullying Perpetration Measure (CPM), and Positive Attitudes towards Cyberbullying Questionnaire (PATC) were administered to 114 undergraduate students.

Results. Correlational analysis indicated significant positive correlations between PATC and CPM scores (r = .442, p < .01), CPM and MMD scores (r …