Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Why Air Traffic Controllers Accept Or Refuse Automated Technology, Marek Bekier, Brett R. C Molesworth, Ann M. Williamson

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

Increased utilisation of automation is seen as a potential, if not the most likely solution to cope with the forecasted increase in air traffic (SESAR, 2006; FAA, 2010). However, Air Traffic Controller Operators (ATCOs) are very selective about forms of automated assistance (EUROCONTROL, 2000). Automation acceptance is considered crucial for the successful implementation of any new technology within air traffic management and therefore is one of the largest challenges the industry faces (Hilburn & Flynn, 2001). Since traditional predictors of automation acceptance such as trust and job satisfaction appear to be diminishing (Bekier, Molesworth & Williamson, in press), the main …

Developing Asap (Anticipation Support For Aeronautical Planning), Sami Lini, Pierre-Alexandre Favier, Xavier Servantie, Bruno Vallespir, Sylvain Hourlier

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

The 2009 A320 ditching on the Hudson River revealed to the public that critical decision-making ability was a key asset for pilots. Situation awareness and workload management are two key elements as well as the ability to anticipate how the situation will evolve. Thales Avionics is funding research through its HF research Lab (HEAL) on HMI facilitating pilot anticipation. This presentation covers a literature review on anticipation so as to develop a model of anticipation in a realistic flying task. Analyzing the concept of anticipation leads us to consider it as a metacognitive process relying on cognitive resource management, situation …

Conflict Detection In Air Traffic Conrol: Distuinguishing Between Judgments Of Conflict Risk And Intervention Decisions, Stéphanie Stankovic, Esa Rantanen, Nicolas Ponomarenko

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

This paper seeks to make a distinction between cognitive processes involved in conflict risk judgment and those involved in conflict avoidance decisions (controllers’ interventions for separation assurance). First, we conducted a systematic review of the conflict detection literature to identify studies that focused on conflict risk assessments and studies that focused on conflict avoidance (intervention). We then report empirical data pertaining to controller intervention judgments. Studies on conflict avoidance have rarely described the intervention decision making process and its interaction with the conflict risk assessment process, whereas our data indicated differences in terms of information processing between judgments of conflict …

The Comparison Of Air Traffic Controllers’ To College Students’ Memory Performance And Brain Activities, Sehchang Hah, Ben Willems, Hasan Ayaz, Scott Bunce, Kurtulus Izzetoglu, Atul Deshmukh

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

We compared controllers and college students memory task performance and brain activities while performing the task. The purpose of these comparisons was to test the hypothesis that controllers must have acquired special memorization skills from many years of air traffic control and that their brains would respond differently from college students’ brains. To perform the task, they must maintain a sequence of characters in their working memory and manipulate the characters. We compared controllers’ brain activities to college students’ recorded at the prefrontal cortex with functional near infrared (fNIR) spectroscopy while performing the task. Our results showed that controllers performed …

Personality Type Preference Assessment As A Component Of Pilot Training, Gil Sinclair, Tracey Moon

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

In aviation education and training, students experience a number of tests to determine their technical abilities and theoretical knowledge. When piloting an aircraft, many stage checks and examinations must be completed before a license is issued. Even then, the testing does not stop; pilots in commercial aviation are subject to a whole range of periodic checks in simulators and in the air. During these evaluations, shortcomings in technical abilities can be identified and corrective action taken before retesting. However, during testing, candidates are especially careful to minimize any tendencies they may have under normal circumstances to, for example, make a …

Automation For Human-Robotic Interaction: Modeling And Predicting Operator Performance, Angelia Sebok, Christopher Wickens, Marc Gacy

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

Human-robotic interaction presents numerous challenges to designers and operators. One way to address these challenges is through task automation. However, appropriate application of automation, reducing workload while keeping the operator informed and in control, without causing skill degradation, is not generally understood. In this paper, we describe a human performance modeling and simulation approach to evaluating the effects of automation on operator and system performance. In this research, we identify and combine relevant factors that affect operator performance into operator-robotic system interaction models. The result of this project will be a partially-validated tool to help system designers evaluate potential automation …

Characterizing Air Traffic Controller Sector Specific Knowledge: An Abstractionbased Analysis, Rahul Bhagat, Jonathan Histon, R. John Hansman

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

The need to train air traffic controllers on sector-specific operational traffic patterns and procedures creates staffing inflexibility and training inefficiency across the National Airspace System (NAS). The deployment of generic airspace, or air traffic control sectors with similar operational characteristics, is one means of addressing these challenges in next generation (NextGen) ATC operational concepts. Based on prior work, local, sector specific knowledge, is thought to be captured in part through abstractions, or simplifications of a controller’s mental model. This paper describes a methodology used to identify key properties characterizing three distinct abstraction types (standard flows, handoffs, and merges). This categorization …

Combining Behavioral And Biometric Measurements For Automated Performance Assessment, Chris Forsythe, Robert A. Abbott, Susan M. Stevens-Addams, Michael Haass, Laura Matzen, Kiran Lakkaraju

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

Technologies are needed enabling more cost-effective military aviation training. Automated performance assessment has been advanced as one approach to enable instructors to make more effective use of simulation-based training systems. Recent experimental research will be reviewed illustrating that automated techniques produce student assessments comparable to human appraisals of student performance and employed within an after-action debrief, resulted in more effective training, as compared to a baseline after-action debrief capability. These studies used the E-2 Enhanced Deployable Readiness Trainer (EDRT), a medium-fidelity simulation trainer employed for training E-2 Hawkeye Naval Flight Officers (NFOs). This paper will summarize further developments to combine …

Using A Measure Of Occupational Stereotype To Assess Ingroup-Outgroup Bias Among Aerospace Specializations, Richard G. Moffett Iii, Michael B. Hein, Glenn L. Littlepage

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

Safe and efficient flight operations require the effective intergroup coordination across multiple aerospace specializations. Various factors can impact this coordination including attitudes such as occupational stereotypes. This study reports on the development of a measure to assess ingroupoutgroup bias among aerospace specializations. Students from six aerospace specializations (Administration, Aircraft Maintenance, Air Traffic Control, Flight Dispatch and Scheduling, Professional Pilot, and Technology) at a southern university completed a questionnaire designed to assess stereotypes using adjectives to describe the members of ingroups and outgroups. Results indicate that students who had identified themselves as pilots or dispatchers exhibited ingroupoutgroup bias but in different …

Situation Awareness, Workload, And Performance In Midterm Nextgen: Effect Of Variations In Aircraft Equipage Levels Between Scenarios, L. Paige Bacon, Thomas Z. Strybel, Kim-Phuong L. Vu, Joshua M. Kraut, Jimmy H. Nguyen, Vernol Battiste, Walter Johnson

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

We investigated the impact of mixed equipage traffic on air traffic controller (ATC) performance, workload and situation awareness in an airspace simulation of an en route sector. Nine retired ATCs and seven student ATCs managed traffic and responded to probe questions designed to measure workload and situation awareness. ATC performance was measured with the AT-SAT OTS Performance Rating Form. Although workload decreased with increasing mixtures of equipped aircraft, the number of LOS appeared to be related more to the percentage of alerted conflicts in the scenario. The probe measure of workload and situation awareness was related to AT-SAT ratings.

Use Of Digital Performance Data In The Flight Training Environment, Lauren M. Vala, Michael S. Nolan, Brian G. Dillman, John P. Young

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

The ability to record and monitor flight data in primary training aircraft has dramatically changed in the last decade. By taking advantage of digital data recording equipment on single engine aircraft, the implementation of Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) programs is now feasible for non-airline operations. The integration of FOQA data into training and evaluation will provide multiple opportunities for utilization of this data in a variety of applications. Differences between the operational environments of airlines and collegiate training programs must be addressed if FOQA is to be properly integrated into a collegiate training environment. Through interviews of key university, …

Decision Support Tools And Layouts For Momu (Multiple Operator Multiple Uav) Environments, Tal Oron-Gilad, Talya Porat, Jacob Silbiger, Michal Rottem-Hovev

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

The objective of this research is to design and develop tools, layouts, techniques and procedures to aid operators in handling Multiple Operator Multiple UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) environments. In this paper we describe a study conducted on proficient operators, examining a new tool - 'Maintain Video Quality'. This tool aims to facilitate handoffs and UAV switching among operators. Experimental methodology and preliminary findings are discussed.

Applying Principles Of Music Scene Analysis To Synchronous Auditory Warning Signals, Matthew J. Davis

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

In emergency situations pilots are often presented with the difficult task of distinguishing between simultaneous auditory warning signals, each with varying levels of importance. This inability to effectively discriminate between synchronous warnings can lead the pilot to ignore certain signals, to misinterpret them, or to be simply unaware of their presence. The creation of signals that could be easily construed and distinguished from other simultaneous signals would not only be desirable but would also contribute to increased situational awareness and better decision-making during emergencies.

Genome-Wide Gene-Environment Study Identifies Glutamate Receptor Gene Grin2a As A Parkinson's Disease Modifier Gene Via Interaction With Coffee, Taye H. Hamza, Honglei Chen, Erin M. Hill-Burns, Shannon L. Rhodes, Jennifer Montimurro, Denise M. Kay, Albert Tenesa, Victoria I. Kusel, Patricia Sheehan, Muthukrishnan Eaaswarkhanth, Dora Yearout, Ali Samii, John W. Roberts, Pinky Agarwal, Yvette Bordelon, Yikyung Park, Liyong Wang, Jianjun Gao, Jeffery M. Vance, Kenneth S. Kendler, Silviu-Alin Bacanu, William K. Scott, Beate Ritz, John Nutt, Stweart A. Factor, Cyrus P. Zabetian, Haydeh Payami

Psychiatry Publications

Our aim was to identify genes that influence the inverse association of coffee with the risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD). We used genome-wide genotype data and lifetime caffeinated-coffee-consumption data on 1,458 persons with PD and 931 without PD from the NeuroGenetics Research Consortium (NGRC), and we performed a genome-wide association and interaction study (GWAIS), testing each SNP's main-effect plus its interaction with coffee, adjusting for sex, age, and two principal components. We then stratified subjects as heavy or light coffee-drinkers and performed genome-wide association study (GWAS) in each group. We replicated the most significant SNP. Finally, we imputed the …

When East Meets West: Understanding The Misconduct Of Teenage Girls In Hong Kong, Violet Cheung

Psychology

Although acculturation towards western culture has been linked to higher levels of misconduct in previous research, little is understood about the mechanisms involved. The present study uses two mediators, early autonomy timetable and large family obligation discrepancy to explain how western values alter children’s behavior and family dynamics, that would push them towards misconduct. The sample included 138 girls (M = 13.8 years) from Hong Kong, a former British colony. Results showed that when indigenous youths adopted western values, their autonomy timetables were accelerated, which in turn manifested itself as misconduct. Meanwhile, the western acculturated youths also had a larger …

The Relationship Between Neuroticism, Early Maldapative Schemas, And Aggression, Jessica Elaine Waite

Theses Digitization Project

In this study, a structural equation model was used to investigate the relationships between neuroticism, Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS), and agression. Findings from this study indicates significant paths between all latent constructs and measured variables. Findings also indicate a significant indirect relationshp between neuroticism and aggression being mediated through EMS.

High-Fidelity Simulation And Training To Improve Coordination Between Aerospace Specializations, Paul A. Craig, Richard G. Moffett, Glenn E. Littlepage, Michael B. Hein, Andrea M. Georgiou, Gerald L. Hill, Jennifer A. Henslee, Paul R. Carlson, Nora A. Cole, Joseph H. Cooper, Durant Bridges, Justice Amankwah, Donald J. Tipton, Alan Waid

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

This Symposium contains the first reports of research being conducted at Middle Tennessee State University using a scenario-based teaching methodology with students across multiple disciplines of aviation training. The MTSU Center for Research on Aviation Training is a NASA funded project that had built a replica of an airline’s flight operations center. The basic research of the project involves the interactions between aviation professionals. These interactions can produce smooth and safe operations for passengers, profits for employers and economic benefits for the national and the world – or these interactions can yield chaos, frustration and loss of revenue. This research …

The Continuing Challenge Of Aviation Safety In Africa., Dr. Maxine Lubner, Dr. Stephen Braccio, Michael Bartron, Al Logie

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

This study follows an epidemiological approach to examine possible predictors of and current interventions for safety in aviation transportation in two regions with widely different safety records: New York (NY) representing several regions in the US, and Tanzania (Tz), representing several regions in Africa. For most transportation modes, NY has one of the best and Tz has among the worst safety records. This paper identifies some of the similarities and differences between the two regions in order to find ways to improve the safety record in Tz and to ensure that safety continues to improve in NY. Several US, African, …

Multiteam Coordination In Simulated Airline Operations: Assessment Of Interpositional Knowledge And Task Mental Models, Glenn E. Littlepage, Jennifer A. Henslee

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

Effective airline operations require coordination among various specializations such as pilot, flight dispatch, and maintenance. Interpositional knowledge (IPK) and task mental models are emergent cognitive states that can facilitate effective coordination. This study examined the extent of IPK and similarity and accuracy of task mental models among aerospace students. Results indicated relatively low levels of IPK and mental model similarity and moderate levels of mental model accuracy. Training activities that enhance IPK and task mental models have the potential to improve coordination and performance of airline personnel.

The Digital Migration Of Research Dissemination In Aviation Psychology Disciplines, Brent D. Bowen, Erin E. Bowen, Henry R. Lehrer, John H. Mott, Charles T. Watkinson, Mark P. Newton, Jennifer Kirschner

International Symposium on Aviation Psychology - 2011

Innovations in research dissemination have emerged over the last decade in the movement toward on-line digital materials and distribution by increasingly environmentally-friendly processes. The access to scholarship has often been limited to major research organizations capable of funding subscriptions, the costs of which have escalated to prohibitive values. Demonstrated herein is a model for world-wide open access to the latest contributions to the foundations of our discipline. The development of a systemic process to cross boundaries so that overall progress can result through the integration of research and industry practice at the individual level is provided. The foundational relationships and …

Sleep Estimates In Children: Parental Versus Actigraphic Assessments, Ehab A. Dayyat, Karen Spruyt, Dennis L. Molfese, David Gozal

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Background: In the context of increasing awareness about the need for assessment of sleep duration in community and clinical settings, the use of questionnaire-based tools may be fraught with reporter bias. Conversely, actigraphy provides objective assessments of sleep patterns. In this study, we aimed to determine the potential discrepancies between parentally-based sleep logs and concurrent actigraphic recordings in children over a one-week period.

Methods: We studied 327 children aged 3–10 years, and included otherwise healthy, nonsnoring children from the community who were reported by their parents to be nonsnorers and had normal polysomnography, habitually-snoring children from the community …

Minimal Information For Neural Electromagnetic Ontologies (Minemo): A Standards-Compliant Method For Analysis And Integration Of Event-Related Potentials (Erp) Data, Gwen Frishkoff, Jason Sydes, Kurt Mueller, Tim Curran, John F. Connolly, Kerry Kilborn, Dennis L. Molfese, Charles Perfetti, Allen D. Malony

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

We present MINEMO (Minimal Information for Neural ElectroMagnetic Ontologies), a checklist for the description of event-related potentials (ERP) studies. MINEMO extends MINI (Minimal Information for Neuroscience Investigations)to the ERP domain. Checklist terms are explicated in NEMO, a formal ontology that is designed to support ERP data sharing and integration. MINEMO is also linked to an ERP database and web application (the NEMO portal). Users upload their data and enter MINEMO information through the portal. The database then stores these entries in RDF (Resource Description Framework), along with summary metrics, i.e., spatial and temporal metadata. Together these spatial, temporal, and functional …

The Internship Application Process: Advice You Might Not Have Heard (Student Forum), David K. Dilillo, Thad R. Leffingwell

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Offers advice about the mastering the application process for a psychology clinical training internship, including: making your dissertation sound interesting, interviewing effectively, and tips for writing engaging essays.

Treatment Effects For Common Outcomes Of Child Sexual Abuse: A Current Meta-Analysis, Emily V. Trask, Kate Walsh, David Dilillo

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

The present meta-analysis examined the effects of psychosocial treatments at reducing deleterious outcomes of sexual abuse. The meta-analysis included a total of 35 published and unpublished studies written in English, focusing on youth under the age of 18, and evaluating the effectiveness of treatments for the most common negative outcomes of sexual abuse: PTSD symptoms, externalizing problems, and internalizing problems. Results revealed medium effect sizes for PTSD symptoms, externalizing problems, and internalizing problems following treatment for sexual abuse. This study also examined the potential moderating effects of treatment (e.g., modality, duration, and inclusion of caregiver) and participant (e.g., age, gender, …

The Effects Of An Intensive Training And Feedback Program On Investigative Interviews Of Children, Heather L. Price, Kim P. Roberts

Psychology Faculty Publications

In the present study, we assessed the effectiveness of an extensive training and feedback program with investigative interviewers of child victims of alleged abuse and neglect in a large Canadian city. Twelve investigative interviewers participated in a joint training initiative that lasted eight months and involved classroom components and extensive weekly verbal and written feedback. Interviewers were significantly more likely to use open-ended prompts and elicited more information from children with open-ended prompts following training. These differences were especially prominent following a subsequent ‘refresher’ training session. No negative effects of training were observed. Clear evidence was found of the benefits …

The Effect Of Event Repetition On The Production Of Story-Grammar In Children’S Event Narratives, Brooke B. Feltis, Martine B. Powell, Kim P. Roberts

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: This study examined the effect of event repetition on the amount and nature of story grammar produced by children when recalling the event.

Method: Children aged 4 years (N = 50) and 7 years (N = 56) participated in either one or six occurrences of a highly similar event where details varied across the occurrences. Half the children in each age and event group recalled the last/single occurrence 5-6 days later and the other half recalling the last/single occurrence after 5-6 weeks (the final and single occurrence was the same). Children’s free recall responses were classified according …

Effects Of Practicing Episodic Versus Scripted Recall On Children’S Subsequent Narratives Of A Repeated Event, Sonja P. Brubacher, Kim P. Roberts, Martine B. Powell

Psychology Faculty Publications

Children (N = 240) aged 5 to 8 participated in 1 or 4 activity sessions involving interactive tasks (e.g., completing a puzzle); children with single-event participation served as a control group. One week after their last/only session, all children were practised in episodic recall of unrelated experiences by asking about either 1) a single-experience event, 2) a specific instance of a repeated event, or 3) scripted recall of a series of events. Children were subsequently interviewed in an open-ended, non-suggestive manner about one of the activity sessions; children with repeated experience were permitted to nominate the session they wanted …

Children’S Ability To Recall Unique Aspects Of One Occurrence Of A Repeated Event, Sonja P. Brubacher, Una Glisic, Kim P. Roberts, Martine B. Powell

Psychology Faculty Publications

Preschool and school-age children’s memory and source monitoring were investigated by questioning them about one occurrence of a repeated lab event (n = 39). Each of the four occurrences had the same structure, but with varying alternatives for the specific activities and items presented. Variable details had a different alternative each time; hi/lo details presented the identical alternative three times and changed once. New details were present in one occurrence only and thus had no alternatives. Children more often confused variable, lo, and new details across occurrences than hi details. The 4- to 5-year-oldchildren were less …

Using Spaced Learning Principles To Translate Knowledge Into Behavior: Evidence From Investigative Interviews Of Alleged Child Abuse Victims, Alexis E. Rischke, Kim P. Roberts, Heather L. Price

Psychology Faculty Publications

The present study assessed the progress of 13 investigative interviewers (child protection workers and police officers) before, during, and after an intensive training program (n = 132 interviews). Training began with a 2-day workshop covering the principles of child development and child-friendly interviewing. Interviewers then submitted interviews on a bi-weekly basis to which they received written and verbal feedback over an 8-month period. A refresher session took place two months into training. Interestingly, improvements were observed only after the refresher session. Interviews conducted post-refresher training contained proportionally more open-ended questions, more child details in response to open-ended questions, and proportionally …

Suicide And Suicide Risk In Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender Populations: Review And Recommendations, Ann P. Haas, Mickey Eliason, Vickie M. Mays, Robin M. Mathy, Susan D. Cochran, Anthony R. D'Augelli, Morton M. Silverman, Prudence W. Fisher, Tonda Hughes, Margaret Rosario, Stephen T. Russell, Effie Malley, Jerry Reed, David A. Litts, Ellen Haller, Randall L. Sell, Gary Remafedi, Judith Bradford, Annette L. Beautrais, Gregory K. Brown, Gary M. Diamond, Mark S. Friedman, Robert Garofalo, Mason S. Turner, Amber Hollibaugh, Paula J. Clayton

Publications and Research

Despite strong indications of elevated risk of suicidal behavior in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, limited attention has been given to research, interventions or suicide prevention programs targeting these populations. This article is a culmination of a three-year effort by an expert panel to address the need for better understanding of suicidal behavior and suicide risk in sexual minority populations, and stimulate the development of needed prevention strategies, interventions and policy changes. This article summarizes existing research findings, and makes recommendations for addressing knowledge gaps and applying current knowledge to relevant areas of suicide prevention practice.