ENGR. YOSHIKI B. KURATA, CIE, AAE, MSc.

IE
Course Instructor
CONTENTS

Origins and Development

History of Human Factors &

Ergonomics

Human Error Analysis

Human Information Processing

HUMAN INFORMATION
PROCESSING
WHAT IS AN INFORMATION?

 Information is that which informs, i.e. that from which data can
be derived.

 Information is conveyed either as a content of a message or

through direct or indirect observation of something.
TYPES OF INFORMATION

 Quantitative (e.g. 100% charged, 63% used)

 Qualitative (e.g. fully charged, partially charged)
 Status (normal, abnormal)
 Warning (abnormal - - potentially dangerous)
 Representational (e.g. pictures, diagrams, charts)
 Identification (e.g. labels, proofs)
INFORMATION THEORY

 Information Theory was developed by Claude E. Shannon to

find fundamental limits on signal processing operations such
as compressing data.

 Information Theory draws knowledge from statistical

inference, natural language processing and other forms of data
analysis.
INFORMATION PROCESSING MODEL

Attention Resources

Response Response
Perception
Selection Execution
Registration
Sensory

Decision
Making

Working
Memory

Long-Term Memory

Perceptual Encoding Central Processing Responding

INFORMATION PROCESSING MODEL

Attention Resources

Response Response
Perception
Selection Execution
Registration
Sensory

Decision
Making

Working
Memory

Long-Term Memory

Perceptual Encoding Central Processing Responding

PERCEPTION – Signal Detection

• Stimulus: sensory input(s)

• Signal: stimulus having a special pattern
• Noise: Obscuring stimuli
• Task: Report “yes” when signal present, otherwise “no”
• Example: steam power plant
– task: detect boiler leak
– stimulus: sound pressure level (SPL)
– signal: higher than normal SPL
SIGNAL DETECTION THEORY
P (stimulus intensity = x)

noise only

X (decibels)
SIGNAL DETECTION THEORY
P (stimulus intensity = x)

d’

noise only signal + noise

X (decibels)
SIGNAL DETECTION THEORY

criterion
NO YES
P (stimulus intensity = x)

d’

noise only signal + noise

X (decibels)
SIGNAL ABSENT CONDITION

criterion
NO YES
P (stimulus intensity = x)

d’

noise only signal + noise

P(quiet)

X (decibels)

P(false alarm)
SIGNAL PRESENT CONDITION

criterion
NO YES
P (stimulus intensity = x)

d’

noise only signal + noise

P(hit)

P(miss)

X (decibels)
PERCEPTION – Left vs. Right Brain

• Phenomenon
– dichotomy between
• left half of brain (verbal)
• right half of brain (visual)
• Example
– historians vs engineers
• Explanation
– only slight indication of being influential
INFORMATION PROCESSING MODEL

Attention Resources

Response Response
Perception
Selection Execution
Registration
Sensory

Decision
Making

Working
Memory

Long-Term Memory

Perceptual Encoding Central Processing Responding

DECISION MAKING

• Characteristics of a decision making situation

– select one from several choices
– some amount of information available
– relatively long time frame
– uncertainty
CLASSICAL DECISION THEORY
• Normative Decision Models
– expected value theory
• probability of outcome, given decision
• value of outcome, given decision
• maximize weighted sum
– Humans violate classical assumptions
• framing effect (differences in presentation form)
• don’t explicitly evaluate all hypotheses
• biased by recent experience
• Descriptive Decision Models
– Use of heuristics
– “Satisficing”
– Simplification
FACTORS AFFECTING DECISIONS

 Amount/quality of cue information in human mind

 Human mind capacity limitations
 Available time
 Limits to attentional resources
 Amount and quality of knowledge available
 Ability to retrieve relevant knowledge
INFORMATION PROCESSING MODEL

Attention Resources

Response Response
Perception
Selection Execution
Registration
Sensory

Decision
Making

Working
Memory

Long-Term Memory

Perceptual Encoding Central Processing Responding

FACTORS AFFECTING RESPONSE

 Stimulus complexity
 Workload
 Stimulus location
 Task interference/workload
 Motivation
 Fatigue
 Environmental variables
 etc.
INFORMATION AND BEHAVIOR

 Information load has functional effects on human performance.

 Information load dramatically affects the speed of a response.

 Information load dramatically affects the accuracy of a response.

INFORMATION AND BEHAVIOR
SELECTIVE ATTENTION

The FOVEA has about a

2 degrees of visual angle.

To keep objects in the

foveal vision ~

 Pursuit Movement ~ eye

follows a target moving
across the visual field –
“smooth motion”

 Saccadic Movement –
jump from one stationary
point to another – “jerky
movements”
SELECTIVE ATTENTION

Air Picture of a Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC)