Human Factors Psychology Commons^™

Pilot Selection Research Gaps: What We Do And Don't Know About "The Right Stuff", Tomas C. Scott, Meredith Carroll Ph.D.

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Ever since the commencement of high-powered flight, pilot selection has been a crucial process within military, general, and commercial aviation. Through effective pilot selection, individuals with the necessary aptitudes, or "the right stuff" to get through a training program and successfully perform the job, can be chosen. There is a range of different aptitudes that have been shown through research to correlate with effective pilot performance. However, there is currently not a comprehensive understanding of the aptitudes, including both cognitive abilities and psychological attributes, necessary not only for effective pilot performance but also for a successful career as an aviator. …

Human Factors & Going Green: Study Abroad On Sustainability And Transportation, Barbara Chaparro, Alex Chaparro, Christina Frederick

Sustainability Conference

The Northern European countries have been leaders in sustainability efforts, and support of alternative modes of transportation, focusing on implementation, design and strategies that make these efforts easier to adopt by the broader community. Human Factors (HF) is a discipline that studies human behavior and capabilities with the purpose of applying to the design of products, equipment and systems to maximize safety, effectiveness, and user satisfaction. Three senior faculty in the ERAU human factors department are sponsoring a summer study abroad merging sustainability and human factors. The focus of this study abroad program is on understanding Human Factors as it …

Comparative Examination Of The Empatica E4 To Record Heart Rate Variability Metrics, Andres Rosero

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The increased accessibility of cyber technology has resulted in advancements in international communications and information sharing never seen in human history. With this new age of digital software comes the proliferation of illegal online activity and cyber terrorism. Repercussions of cyber-attacks have ranged from identity theft to leaks of classified state secrets. To combat this threat, the Department of Defense (DoD) established the Cyber Mission Force (CMF) to head operations in the interests of protecting against cyber-attacks. One of the CMF’s initial projects involves the creation of a Performance Assessment Suite (PAS), a training program designed to improve the training …

Pilot Selection Research Gaps: What We Do And Don't Know About "The Right Stuff", Thomas C. Scott, Meredith Carroll

Aeronautics Faculty Publications

Ever since the commencement of high-powered flight, pilot selection has been a crucial process within military, general, and commercial aviation. Through effective pilot selection, individuals with the necessary aptitudes, or "the right stuff" to get through a training program and successfully perform the job, can be chosen. There is a range of different aptitudes that have been shown through research to correlate with effective pilot performance. However, there is currently not a comprehensive understanding of the aptitudes, including both cognitive abilities and psychological attributes, necessary not only for effective pilot performance but also for a successful career as an aviator. …

Investigating The Impact Of Explanation On Repairing Trust In Ai Diagnostic Systems For Re-Diagnosis, Lamia Alam

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

AI systems are increasingly being fielded to support diagnoses and healthcare advice for patients. One promise of AI application is that they might serve as the first point of contact for patients, replacing routine tasks, and allowing health care professionals to focus on more challenging and critical aspects of healthcare. For AI systems to succeed, they must be designed based on a good understanding of how physicians explain diagnoses to patients, and how prospective patients understand and trust the systems providing the diagnosis, as well as the explanations they expect. In this thesis, I examine this problem across three studies. …

Examining The Effect Of Interruptions At Different Breakpoints And Frequencies Within A Task, Sarah Anastazia Powers

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Research on the effects of interruptions shows that they can be either costly or beneficial depending on which aspects of an interruption are manipulated. One important aspect that contributes to these conflicting results concerns when an interruption occurs. The present study explored how event segmentation theory (EST) can be used to determine optimal moments for an interruption relying on hierarchical task analysis (HTA) to identify coarse and fine event boundaries. Utilizing a 2 X 3 mixed design, undergraduate students completed a trip planning task divided into three task trials. The within-subjects factor was interruption timing, which had three levels: none, …

The Effect Of Differing Degrees Of Automation And Reliability On Simulated Luggage Screening Performance, Molly M. Liechty

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present work examined the effects of two types of decision support systems in a simulated luggage screening task: An input aid and an output aid. An input aid supports an operator’s information gathering. An output aid supports decision making and action selection. A Time-Accuracy Function (TAF) analysis was applied to isolate processing time from performance asymptote, which conventional performance measures such as sensitivity and response time do not distinguish one from the other. Sixty participants performed a luggage screening task unaided (manual condition), with the assistance of an input aid (spatial aid), and with the assistance of an output …

The Effects Of Automation Transparency And Reliability On Task Shedding And Operator Trust, William Everett Lehman

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Because automation use is common in many domains, understanding how to design it to optimize human-automation system performance is vital. Well-calibrated trust ensures good performance when using imperfect automation. Two factors that may jointly affect trust calibration are automation transparency and perceived reliability. Transparency information that explains automated processes and analyses to the operator may help the operator choose appropriate times to shed task control to automation. Because operator trust is positively correlated with automation use, behaviors such as task shedding to automation can indicate the presence of trust. This study used a 2 (reliability; between) × 3 (transparency; within) …

Impact Of Electronic Flight Bag On Pilot Workload, Saravanan Suppiah

Student Works

The increase of automation in the aviation industry pose challenges to human performance. To attest this point, studies about aircraft accidents reveal that pilots’ response to automated systems are always not coherent. Research findings suggests that pilots’ interaction with automated systems in highly demanding tasks situations results in the increase in workload and if they are unable to resolve it in time, it will compromise flight safety. Therefore, in the interest to further explore the impact of automation on human factor constructs, the study aimed to investigate the impact of Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) on pilot workload. The study measured …

Effects Of Control Device And Task Complexity On Performance And Task Shedding During A Robotic Arm Task, Shelby K. Long

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The use of robotic arms across domains is increasing, but the relationship between control features and performance is not fully understood. The goal of this research was to investigate the difference in task performance when using two different control devices at high and low task complexities when participants can shed tasks to automation. In this experiment, 40 undergraduates (24 females) used two control devices, a Leap Motion controller and an Xbox controller, to teleoperate a robotic arm in a high or low complexity peg placement task. Simultaneously, participants were tasked with scanning images for tanks. During the experiment, participants had …

History And Current Status Of Human Readiness Levels, Judi E. See, Holly Handley

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

[First slide]

• HRLs have been proposed as an analogue to TRLs to provide similar benefits.
• TRLs are routinely used throughout the DOD, DOE, Industry, and academia
• Value of TRLs is widely recognized.

Benefits of TRLs

Demonstrating high maturity for new technologies increases changes of program success.

• Use a common terminology across diverse organizations
• Promote testing and verification to asses maturity
• Gauge progress to plan future level of effort needed to achieve maturity
• Help manage schedule and cost risks
• Provide assurance that technologies will function as intended.

• HRLs are designed to complement TRLs during technology development.
• Mirror simple nine-level TRL scale …

Ground Vehicle Driving Aids: Assessing Driver Workload And Performance In Degraded Visual Environments, Kayla Riegner

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

With degraded visual environments being a current priority to the Army, several research programs have been initiated to develop a complete sensor-to-soldier systems to allow operators to see through DVE conditions while conducting ground vehicle tactical operations. To enable indirect-driving maneuverability and threat detection in degraded visual environments (DVEs), CCDC’s ground DVE program developed and tested a range of sensors and driver aid display systems. Six candidate driving aids were identified and tested in three simulator studies and two field tests to examine the effect of driving aids on driver workload and performance in different visibility conditions. The simulator-based testing …

Beyond 2020 Nextgen Compliance: Human Factors And Cognitive Loading Issues For Commercial And General Aviation Pilots, Mark D. Miller, Sam Holley

Publications

As previously identified by the authors, digitized flight decks have realigned SHELL model components and introduced cognitive overload con­cerns. Considering changes from implementing Next Generation air traffic management requirements in 2020, the authors assess digitized interfaces associated with cockpit displays of information integral to performance based navigation and similar operations. Focus is placed on Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast, digitized communications, and expanded electronic flight bags. The ADSB (In) cockpit display will enable pilots to have flight visual awareness on aircraft, terrain, weather and hazards to flight through live satellite updates every second. Increased optical demands and cognitive loading are anticipated …

The Repairer Reporting System For Integrating Human Factors Into Sms In Aviation Maintenance, Mark D. Miller, Bettina Mrusek

Publications

Acknowledging the FAA’s well-known PEAR model, and the influence of the dirty dozen in aviation maintenance, the authors examine a tracking and reporting system that fulfills FAA requirements for safety management systems in aviation maintenance organizations. Implications and suggestions for a robust safety management system which encompasses human factors and ORM, applicable to an aviation maintenance environment are presented, with the inclusion of specific risk hazards. The resulting safety reporting system proposed addresses both consistency and reliability challenges, unique to the aviation maintenance environment. Using the four pillars of safety as a foundation, the REPAIRER strategy procedures serves as the …

A Change In The Dark Room: The Effects Of Human Factors And Cognitive Loading Issues For Nextgen Tracon Air Traffic Controllers, Mark D. Miller, Sam Holley, Bettina Mrusek, Linda Weiland

Publications

By 2020 all aircraft in United States airspace must use ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) Out. This is a key component of the Next Generation (NextGen) Air Transportation System, which marks the first time all aircraft will be tracked continuously using satellites instead of ground-based radar. Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) in the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) is a primary NextGen upgrade where digitized automation/information surrounds STARS controllers while controlling aircraft. Applying the SHELL model, the authors analyze human factors changes affecting TRACON controllers from pre-STARS technology through NextGen technologies on performance. Results of an informal survey of STARS …

Human Performance In Manufacturing Tasks: Optimization And Assessment Of Required Workload And Capabilities, Maria Chiara Leva, Lorenzo Comberti, Micaela Demichela, Alberto Caimo

Conference papers

This paper discusses some examples where human performance and or human error prediction was achieved by using a modified version of the Rasch model(1980), where the probability of a specified outcome is modelled as a logistic function of the difference between the person capacity and item difficulty. The model needs to be modified to take into account an outcome that may not be dichotomous and o take into account the interaction between two macro factors: (a) Task complexity: that summarises all factors contributing to physical and mental workload requirements for execution of a given operative task & (b) Human capability: …

Fatigue Identification And Management In Flight Training: An Investigation Of Collegiate Aviation Pilots, Flavio A. C. Mendonca Ph.D.

Publications

Pilot fatigue is a significant hazard affecting flight operations;

• Generally the product of one or more factors: Disrupted or lack of sleep;
• Inadequate food and or fluid intake;
• Mental;
• and Physical fatigue.

Previous studies have focused on military and commercial flight operations;

• Little to nothing has been done to investigate fatigue identification & management by general aviation pilots!

Safety Analysis Of Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (Ads-B) System, Rajee Olaganathan

Publications

ADS-B is one of the significant implementation systems of NextGen, to help pilots and air traffic controllers to create a safer, and more efficient National Airspace System (NAS). First, this research paper will briefly describe the ADS-B system, its design structure, ADS-B In and ADS-B Out systems, its efficiency both in pilot applications and in air traffic control applications, and then discuss about the system safety analysis. The preliminary hazard analysis and fault tree analysis will be done for the identified and selected hazards, and will be briefly discussed. The paper will conclude by providing recommendations to prevent/mitigate the hazards …

The Effects Of Cultural Factors On Safety In Aviation Focusing On Asian And Western Cultures, Ji Yeon Song

Student Works

Several aviation accidents from the past, such as the Asiana Flight 214 crash at San Francisco International Airport in 2015, have highlighted possible effects of Korean hierarchy culture on the safety of flight. Previous research conducted primarily with the use of surveys revealed that Asian pilots are less likely to report an unsafe condition out of fear that it will damage their relationships with coworkers and superiors. Western pilots see reporting as dealing with the problem and not a person, thus they feel more open to it. This study looked at student pilots’ ability to recognize and deny an unsafe …

Human Factors Applied To Perioperative Process Improvement, Joseph R. Keebler, Elizabeth H. Lazzara, Elizabeth Blickensderfer, Thomas D. Looke

Publications

• Human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) is its own scientific discipline that can be applied to understanding performance in perioperative medicine.
• Humans are not perfect decision makers and are affected by a variety of factors that can greatly harm their ability to perform, including attention, bias, stress, and fatigue.
• HF/E has a unique perspective on human error, and HF/E can illustrate how moving away from blame can enhance safety.
• HF/E offers strategies for undertaking a systematic approach to assessment of work processes in perioperative medicine that can be used to increase safety and wellbeing of patients and providers.

Examining The Different Learning Strategies Between Extroverts And Introverts Among Flight Students At Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, John R. Brooks

Student Works

Extroverts and introverts have unique approaches to new materials that make learning more efficient. In aviation where quick learning and responses are required, students may struggle because preferred comprehension strategies are not utilized. The research question is whether introverts/extroverts learn better when given the option to approach materials using strategies that match their personality type. 16 participants are placed into one of two different groups (either extrovert/introvert). The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire – Revised (EPQ-R) determines personality trait. Participants are then subdivided into one of four random groups. All participants are given instructions on how to complete two different flight maneuvers …

Shell Revisited: Cognitive Loading And Effects Of Digitized Flight Deck Automation, Mark D. Miller, Sam Holley

Publications

Acknowledging the SHELL human factors model, authors examine interfaces among components and assess problems created when the model is aligned with modern digitized flight deck systems. Complacency and overreliance on automated systems are evaluated, and cognitive load and potential for degraded situational awareness are examined. Authors present a SHELL overlay demonstrating where particular digitized functions and operations present challenges to operators and markedly influence effective SHELL interactions in highly complex flight deck systems. Human factors contributing to the Asiana Flight 214 accident are examined and correlates identified with the SHELL analysis. Implications for advanced crew resource management are presented, and …

Patient Safety In The Cardiac Operating Room: Human Factors And Teamwork: A Scientific Study From The American Heart Association, Joyce A. Wahr, Richard L. Prager, J. H. Abernathy Iii, Elizabeth A. Martinez, Eduardo Salas, Patricia C. Seifert, Robert C. Groom, Bruce D. Spiess, Bruce E. Searles, Thoralf M. Sundt Iii, Juan A. Sanchez, Scott A. Shappell, Michael H. Culig, Elizabeth H. Lazzara, David C. Fitzgerald, Vinod H. Thourani, Pirooz Eghtesady, John S. Ikonomidis, Michael R. England, Frank W. Selke, Nancy A. Nussmeier

Publications

The cardiac surgical operating room (OR) is a complex environment in which highly trained subspecialists interact with each other using sophisticated equipment to care for patients with severe cardiac disease and significant comorbidities. Thousands of patient lives have been saved or significantly improved with the advent of modern cardiac surgery. Indeed, both mortality and morbidity for coronary artery bypass surgery have decreased during the past decade. Nonetheless, the highly skilled and dedicated personnel in cardiac ORs are human and will make errors. Refined techniques, advanced technologies, and enhanced coordination of care have led to significant improvements in cardiac surgery outcomes.

Latent Print Examination And Human Factors: Improving The Practice Through A Systems Approach: The Report Of The Expert Working Group On Human Factors In Latent Print Analysis, David H. Kaye, Thomas Busey, Melissa R. Gische, Gerry Laporte, Scott A. Shappell, Et Al.

Publications

Fingerprints have provided a valuable method of personal identification in forensic science and criminal investigations for more than 100 years. Fingerprints left at crime scenes generally are latent prints—unintentional reproductions of the arrangement of ridges on the skin made by the transfer of materials (such as amino acids, proteins, polypeptides, and salts) to a surface. Palms and the soles of feet also have friction ridge skin that can leave latent prints. The examination of a latent print consists of a series of steps involving a comparison of the latent print to a known (or exemplar) print. Courts have accepted latent …

Effect Of Time Pressure And Task Uncertainty On Human Operator Performance And Workload For Autonomous Aerial Vehicle Missions, Trevor Petersen

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are being utilized at an increasing rate for a number of military applications. The potential for their use in the national airspace is also of interest to the Federal Aviation Administration, but there are some concerns about the safety of flying unmanned aircraft. The role of a UAS operator differs from that of a pilot in a manned aircraft, and this new role creates a need for a shift in interface and task design in order to take advantage of the full potential of these systems. This study examined the effect of time pressure and task …

Human Error And Commercial Aviation Accidents: A Comprehensive, Fine-Grained Analysis Using Hfacs, Scott Shappell, Cristy Detwiler, Kali Holcomb, Carla Hackworth, Albert Boquet, Douglas Wiegmann

Publications

The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) is a theoretically based tool for investigating and analyzing human error associated with accidents and incidents. Previous research has shown that HFACS can be reliably used to identify general trends in the human factors associated with military and general aviation accidents. The aim of this study was to extend previous examinations of aviation accidents to include specific aircrew, environmental, supervisory, and organizational factors associated with 14 CFR Part 121 (Air Carrier) and 14 CFR Part 135 (Commuter) accidents using HFACS. The majority of causal factors were attributed to the aircrew and the …

Beneath The Tip Of The Iceberg: A Human Factors Analysis Of General Aviation Accidents In Alaska Versus The Rest Of The United States, Cristy Detwiler, Carla Hackworth, Kali Holcomb, Albert Boquet, Elaine Pfleiderer, Douglas Wiegmann, Scott Shappell

Publications

Historically, general aviation (GA) accidents have been overlooked and their impact under-appreciated when compared with those in the commercial or military sector. Recently however, the Federal Aviation Administration and other governmental and civilian organizations have focused their attention on one piece of this proverbial “iceberg,” that being GA accidents occurring in Alaska. This study examines more than 17,000 GA accidents using the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System. Comparisons of Alaska to the rest of the U.S. (RoUS) included traditional demographic and environmental variables, as well as the human errors committed by aircrews. Overall, categorical differences among unsafe acts (decision …

Survey Of Aviation Maintenance Technical Manuals, Phase 3 Report: Final Report And Recommendations, Alex Chaparro, Loren S. Groff

Publications

This report contains the results from the final phase of a three-phase research effort. Phase 1 of this research effort surveyed the procedures used by five aircraft manufacturers to develop maintenance documentation. Several potential human factors issues were identified in the processes used by these manufacturers to develop their maintenance manuals. The issues included the reactive rather than proactive use of user evaluations, the limited use of user input and procedure validation, no systematic attempts to track errors, and the lack of standards for measuring document quality. In Phase 2, a written survey was used to solicit information about user …

Survey Of Aviation Technical Manuals, Phase 2 Report: User Evaluation Of Maintenance Documents, Alex Chaparro, Loren S. Groff, Barbara S. Chaparro, Deborah Scarlett

Publications

This report contains the results from Phase 2 of a 3-phase research effort. Phase 1 (Human Factors Survey of Aviation Technical Manuals Phase 1 Report: Manual Development Procedures) of this research effort surveyed the procedures used by five manufacturers to develop maintenance documentation. Several potential human factors issues were identified in the development processes employed by these manufacturers. They included the reactive rather than proactive use of user evaluations, the limited use of user input and procedure validation, no systematic attempts to track error, and the lack of standards for measuring document quality. In Phase 2, a written survey was …

Human Factors Survey Of Aviation Maintenance Technical Manuals, Alex Chaparro, Loren S. Groff

Publications

The reported work is part of a 3 phased effort to identify human factors issues in the development of aviation technical manuals, and make recommendations for the improvement of those documents. Phase 1 of this research effort surveyed the procedures used by five manufacturers to develop maintenance documentation. Several human factors issues were identified in the development process employed by these manufacturers. They included the reactive rather than proactive use of user evaluations, the limited use of user input and procedure validation, no systematic attempts to track error, and the lack of standards for measuring document quality. Given the issues …