Human Factors Psychology Commons^™

A Human Error Analysis Of Commercial Aviation Accidents Using The Human Factors Analysis And Classification System (Hfacs), Douglas A. Wiegmann, Scott A. Shappell

Publications

The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) is a general human error framework originally developed and tested within the U.S. military as a tool for investigating and analyzing the human causes of aviation accidents. Based upon Reason’s (1990) model of latent and active failures, HFACS addresses human error at all levels of the system, including the condition of aircrew and organizational factors. The purpose of the present study was to assess the utility of the HFACS framework as an error analysis and classification tool outside the military. Specifically, HFACS was applied to commercial aviation accident records maintained by the …

The Effect Of Residence Type On Adjustment To College, Matthew J. Facemire

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examined the difference in adjustment to college between Commuters (students who lived at home with their parents) and Boarders (students who lived on campus in residence halls). The study was conducted at a rural teachers college in West Virginia. The Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ) was administered to 86 students from four English 102 classes. The results include 48 students who met the requirements of the study. The results of the SACQ were input into a SPSS computer program to produce a 2x2 design ANOVA. The Test of Between-Subject Effects showed three areas of significant difference between …

Student Victimization And Its Relation To School Violence, Heidi Gregoire

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The frequent depiction of school violence in the media today has led some to believe that violence in our schools is an increasing problem. Those who are most prone to be influenced by the media’s perception of school violence may include those most affected by school violence such as parents, educators, and students. This influence may increase parents’ concerns about sending their children to school, and create a fear of going to school on a daily basis in educators and students. Despite such fears, research suggests that school violence is, in fact, decreasing, at least with regard to school shootings. …

The Conners' Continuous Performance Test, Karrie Mace

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examined the Connors’ Continuous Performance Test (CPT). The CPT purports to measure levels of vigilance or attention. This test is administered by computer.

Fifty children from a summer school program were individually administered the CPT. A univariate analysis of variance was completed using previous diagnosis of ADHD, gender, and age. A logistic regression was also completed using gender, age, and total score. No significant difference was found.

Gender And Parenting Stress Using Abidin's Parenting Stress Index, K. Penny Nicholls

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The effect of gender on parenting stress was studied on a sample of 56 parents at the time of custody disputes. Each pair of parents completed the Parenting Stress Index or the Parenting Stress Index/Short Form. Results were not significant when gender was matched to the total parent stress scores, indicating parent child stress was not associated with parent gender as was found in previous research.

Cognitive And Emotional Variables In Childhood Anxiety, Robin L. Browning

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Research was conducted on 60 subjects from mental health agencies in order to determine that childhood anxiety and depression can be differentiated. The 60 subjects were given the CDI and the RCMAS self-report measures in order to be placed in groups. This allowed the subjects to be divided into 4 groups: Anxious, Anxious/Depressed, Depressed and Not Anxious/Not Depressed. The 4 groups were then given 2 additional self-report measures, the STAIC and FSSC -R to measure whether Anxious and the Anxious/Depressed children exhibited more fears and anxious traits than did the Depressed and Not Anxious/Not Depressed children. Analyses of variance revealed …

Individual Differences And The Effects Of Time Of Day And Interference On Memory, Keelon L. Hinton

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Using the Wickens, Born, Allen (1963) release from proactive interference paradigm, subjects were tested at both a morning and afternoon period in hopes of observing the effects time of day, age, and interference have on working memory. 42 college students and 21 participants over the age of 65 first completed the Horne-Ostberg (1976) questionnaire for morningness-eveningness. While most younger adults were evening and neutral types, the vast majority of older individuals showed a stronger preference for earlier hours of the day. Recall results indicated that recall performance of older participants decreased from morning to afternoon, while recall performance of younger …

Human Error And Accident Causation Theories, Frameworks And Analytical Techniques: An Annotated Bibliography, Douglas A. Wiegmann, Aaron M. Rich, Scott A. Shappell

Publications

Over the last several decades, humans have played a progressively more important causal role in aviation accidents as aircraft have become more [complex]. Consequently, a growing number of aviation organizations are tasking their safety personnel with developing safety programs to address the highly complex and often nebulous issue of human error. However, there is generally no “off-the-shelf” or standard approach for addressing human error in aviation. Indeed, recent years have seen a proliferation of human error frameworks and accident investigation schemes to the point where there now appears to be as many human error models as there are people interested …

The Human Factors Analysis And Classification System--Hfacs, Scott A. Shappell, Douglas A. Wiegmann

Publications

Human error has been implicated in 70 to 80% of all civil and military aviation accidents. Yet, most accident reporting systems are not designed around any theoretical framework of human error. As a result, most accident databases are not conducive to a traditional human error analysis, making the identification of intervention strategies onerous. What is required is a general human error framework around which new investigative methods can be designed and existing accident databases restructured. Indeed, a comprehensive human factors analysis and classification system (HFACS) has recently been developed to meet those needs. Specifically, the HFACS framework has been used …

The Relationship Between Age, Years Of Service, Gender, Education, And Job Satisfaction Among Mental Health Professionals, Veria L. Hicks

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The study explored the relationship between age, years of service, gender, education, and job satisfaction among mental health professionals. Thirty subjects (15 males and 15 females) were involved in the study. The results of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated no significant relationship between age, years of service, gender, education and job satisfaction among mental health professionals. Recommendations for future research are discussed.

Attitudes Of College Students Toward People With Disabilities, Doris M. King

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to explore the attitudes of college students toward individuals with disabilities. The instrument used was the Attitude Toward Disabled Persons Scale (ATDP), which was adapted to yield two additional scales. The words “mental illness” and “alcoholic” were substituted for “physically disabled”. The test was administered to undergraduate and graduate students in counseling and psychology.

Analysis of Variance was performed. The results showed a significant gender effect with females having more positive attitudes toward individuals with physical disabilities and mental illnesses. Both groups, males and females, had more positive attitudes toward individuals with physical disabilities …

Levels Of Stress Between Cooperative Education Students On-Placement And Pending Placement, Judy L. Mainzinger-Rathbun

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to see if there was an association between the levels of stress in students who were interviewed for a job and their placement status after the job interview. During the spring 2000 semester, 62 students were sent on interviews with public and private agencies/companies for potential placement in cooperative education positions within the agencies/companies. Out of this total population of 62 interviewed, twenty-three were placed in positions (hereafter referred to as “on-placement”) and thirty-nine were not placed (hereafter referred to as “pending-placement"). For this study, the total population of 62 students was divided into …

Anxiety, Stress And Job Satisfaction Versus Education Levels In Rural Police Officers, Robert D. Newell

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Twenty nine police officers from four different departments in rural areas were tested regarding levels of stress or anxiety they experienced from inter-department issues, rules, and regulations. These findings were then compared with the officer’s levels of college education and contrasted with those officers with no college education. Additionally, comparisons were made regarding levels of college education and scores from the Fear of Negative Scale, Job Satisfaction Index, and the Stress Quiz. Further comparisons of the scores were made between officers who had attended college and those who had not and had experienced stress from critical incidents.

While there were …

Drug Of Choice As A Predictor Of Program Completion In A 12-Week Intensive Outpatient Program And Continuing Care Program, James R. Myers

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study consisted of a one year examination of a twelve week Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), followed by continuing care treatment, coupled with required attendance to a Twelve Step AA/NA Program. This study detailed the treatment plan available at a local Intensive Outpatient Program in Southern West Virginia. A sample, separating alcoholics from other substance abusers to obtain an estimated completion rate was used.

Tills thesis comprised a one-year history of subjects (6/30/98 -07/01/99). A total of 84 subjects entered into the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) within the above time frame. Determination of completion rates was based on a categorical …

Sociological Analysis Of Gambling Behavior: A Subculture Perspective, Robert W. Wright Iii

Masters Theses

This study examines the effects of gender, socioeconomic status and age first gambled on rates of problem gambling among adult residents of Michigan and interprets those effects through the application of subculture theory. The data used in this study are from the 1997 Michigan prevalence survey on gambling. The data were collected to estimate the prevalence level of gambling among adult Michigan residents. Data obtained from 2,111 female and 1,776 males indicated that (1) males have a higher rate of pathology than females; (2) respondents who start gambling earlier will be more likely to be classified as pathological gamblers; (3) …

Treatment For The Homeless Mentally Ill, Joyel Harless

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The effect of treatment on the homeless mentally ill was explored. Seventeen homeless individuals were screened with questionnaires to determine anxiety and depression (Krug, Laughlin, Scheiner, & Catell, 1976). One group included diagnosed mentally ill subjects, the other were non-diagnosed individuals. Both groups were tested upon admittance to either a treatment facility for homeless mentally ill persons or a community homeless shelter, respectively. They were again screened prior to discharge of either facility. Statistically, a rather significant difference was noted in the decrease of the diagnosed group’s anxiety level upon discharge. A similar, but less significant, statistical difference was also …

Using Selective Mmpl-2 Clinical Scales To Predict The Severity Of Prison Infractions For First Degree Murderers In A Maximum Security Prison, Margarita Lynn Pauley

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The MMPI-2 was administered to 56 adult male offenders in a maximum-security prison serving a life sentence for first degree murder. This study evaluated the predictive ability of the MMPI-2 scales 4, 6 and 9 to distinguish among groups of inmates with high and low infraction rates. Results indicated that as the weighted infraction rate (WRI) increased above 9, the T score on scale 4 sharply decreased at the same rate of the increase for 0-9 WRI. Results also supported a relationship where as the T score on scale 9 increased the WIR also increased. Inmates who refused to comply …

The Relationship Between Alcohol Use And Anger Experience And Expression, Jennifer L. Saunders

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The study explored the relationship between alcohol use and the experience and expression of anger. Thirty male subjects between the ages of 20 and 35 were involved in the study. Fifteen enrolled in a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) class and fifteen enrolled in one of two introductory level behavioral science classes, without a history of DUI, were selected to participate in the research. The results of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated no significant relationship between alcohol use and state anger (how angry a person is at any given moment) or alcohol use and expression of anger. There was, …

Seniors' Knowledge Of Elder Abuse, Neglect, And Exploitation In Urban Versus Rural West Virginia, Debra S. Evans

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Elder abuse, elder neglect/elder self-neglect, and elder exploitation, often referred to as elder maltreatment, is a present reality in the world today. Available research is limited since this topic has been formally recognized only since 1970. To date, limited progress has been made in understanding what elder maltreatment entails and its scope. The purpose of the present study was to test the knowledge of urban and rural West Virginia senior citizens (ages 55 and above) on the given topic. One-hundred and nine senior citizens from four senior citizen centers in WV (two urban and two rural) were included in this …

The Clinical Utility Of The Jesness Inventory, Stephanie J. Hayes-Harris

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Because previous research findings on the Jesness Inventory have been relatively inconsistent, the current study was conducted to further examine this instrument's reliability, convergent validity and classificatory ability. A 3 to 11 month test-retest interval used with 42 adjudicated adolescents yielded a mean correlation coefficient of .60 and suggested that the stability of the 11 individual subscales is questionable. Using 42 adjudicated adolescents and 48 outpatients, many significant correlations were obtained between the Jesness Inventory and the Adolescent Multiphasic Personality Inventory subscales. Similarly, the Asocial Index accurately classified the adjudicated adolescents as delinquent and the outpatient adolescents as nondelinquent, as …

Occupational Titles And The Perception Of Gender, Cynthia A. Lokey

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

First, this study examines the findings of Shinar’s (1975) study on the perception of gender in occupations in comparison to a current population. Second, the answers of a population of college students in WV were compared to their place of origin. Third, current neutral titles were compared to earlier gendered counterparts. Lastly, the answers of male and female respondents were analyzed.

Overall, occupational titles were found to be less gendered but retained their gender when compared to data collected by Shinar in 1975. Those respondents who were native to in WV were not found to be more stereotypical in their …

Business Technology: New Avenues For Sexual Harassment In The Workplace, Terri Stone Meadows

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Evaluations of scenarios describing workplace sexual harassment rendered through interpersonal versus technological means and rendered by a supervisor versus a co-worker were made by 178 college students (95 females and 83 males; M age = 23). The participants rated the seventeen sexual harassment scenarios using a three-point scale (1 = yes; 2 =no; 3 = unsure). For each scenario, participants rated whether the behavior in the scenario (1) was sexual harassment, (2) was inappropriate, but not necessarily sexual harassment, (3) would be a comfortable experience if the participant was a target of the behavior, and (4) was serious enough to …

Peer Evaluation: Design And Implementation Of The Peer Evaluation Format, Christopher F. Nichols

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The following study examined the feasibility of using peer evaluation at a behavioral health center for assessing employee attitudes regarding the company’s appraisal process. A total of 30 subjects, both male and female, were chosen from a single department to pilot the peer evaluation. Subjects were surveyed in order to assess attitudes toward the process prior to participation. An outside corporation was chosen to assist in the selection of peer evaluation questions as well as compiling final ratings of each participant. A post peer evaluation survey assessed attitudes upon completion of the peer evaluation. Responses were averaged and percentages analyzed …

Chi Square Analysis Of The Supported Employment And Unsuccessful Placement Survey To Assess Individualized Needs When Program Planning, Melissa S. Nelson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study is a chi square analysis of the Supported Employment Survey (SES) and the Unsuccessful Placement Survey (UPS) developed for the purpose of this study. Subjects included 76 males and 35 females ranging from the ages of 19 to 64. All of the individuals included in this survey have been involved in supported employment programs throughout the state of West Virginia. Individuals were surveyed based on DSM-IV diagnosed disability (mental retardation verses mental illness), support networks during placement (living independently or with a family member), and previous experience in sheltered workshops prior to placement in support employment programs. Results …

Subjective Quality Of Experience With The Internet: Accounting For Temporal Changes In User Acceptance Of Information Technology, Jason M. Turner

Theses and Dissertations

Contemporary information technology (IT) related research has focused on use as a key dependent measure for valuing IT. By understanding the determinants of IT use, we gain descriptive information about successful IT, and prescriptive information for better deploying IT resources. Although there are several competing theories regarding IT use, research findings often cite their inability to account for temporal changes in usage behaviors. This thesis introduces quality of experience as a potential moderator between the determinants of use and actual usage behaviors. A pilot survey concerning Internet usage generated potentially relevant items which were later refined into a questionnaire assessing …

The Effects Of Task Partitioning And Computer Skill Level On Operator Engagement And Performance In An Adaptive Biocybernetic Environment, Todd Michael Eischeid

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study examined task partitioning in an adaptive environment, utilizing the cybernetic closed-loop system of Pope et al. (1995). In that study, participants either performed a tracking task (manual condition) or monitored the tracking task (automatic condition). Changes in task mode were driven by an engagement index derived from the participant's EEG and operated under either positive or negative feedback conditions. One goal of the present study was to examine participant performance under a wider range of tracking conditions. Specifically, the task was partitioned into 3 modes: a manual mode, a partitioned mode, and an automatic mode. A second …

The Role Of Alcohol And Stress On Measures Of Depression And Anxiety Among College Students, Jeffrey F. Porter

Masters Theses

In clinical literature regarding the effects of regular alcohol use, psychological benefits of moderate consumption have been suggested (Neff & Husaini, 1982; Neff, 1984; Neff & Husaini, 1985; Neff, 1985; Neff, 1986; Neff, 1993, Lipton, 1994). Despite the diverse groups with which this theory has been examined, no published studies have lookeq specifically at the high-risk group of college undergraduates. Subjects were surveyed to assess their typical drinking behavior, the number of stressful events they had experienced within the past 12 months, their perceived social support, and depressive and anxiety symptoms they experienced within the seven days leading up to …

The Effects Of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy On Anxiety Among The Elderly In A Nursing Home Setting, Lawrence David Parker

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study evaluated the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy on the severity of anxiety among the elderly in a nursing home setting. Eighteen adults were involved in the research. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BDI) was used for a pre-test, post-test, and delayed post-test measures. The results of the t-test indicated a significant difference between the pre-test and the post-test measures in the experimental group. The significant difference was not, however, maintained over time. The results of t-test between the pre-test delayed post-test for the experimental group was non-significant. The results of the study suggested that cognitive-behavioral therapy training did have a …

A Concurrent Validity Study Of The Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test And The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Revised, Kimberly D. Rayburn

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Kaufinan Brief Intelligence Test (K-BIT) as a valid screening instrument for the more comprehensive Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) was studied. Both assessment instruments were administered to 34 subjects referred to a private psychological practice as part of a requested battery of test. Each test produces a verbal score, nonverbal score and combined verbal and nonverbal score. Results indicate that each section of the K-BIT has a significant correlation to its WAIS-R counterpart. The correlation between the verbal scores, nonverbal scores and the combined scores of the two instruments were .87, .78, and .88, respectively. The K-BIT appears to …

Attachment And The Development Of Eating Disorders As Measured By The “Apdq”, Colleen D. O'Pell

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The impact of family of origin dynamics on the development and maintenance of eating disorders is well documented in the literature. This study sought to investigate the attachment relationships and personality characteristics of eating disordered subjects by administering the Attachment and Personality Dynamics Questionnaire (APDQ). It was hypothesized that the eating disordered subjects would show a pattern of insecure attachments to primary caregivers and significant others in comparison to controls. A total of 23 eating disordered females and 297 female control subjects completed the APDQ. The t tests for the 29 scales of the APDQ revealed lower means for the …