Aerospace medicine and biology: A continuing bibliography with indexes (supplement 343)

This bibliography lists 125 reports, articles and other documents introduced into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information System during January, 1989. Subject coverage includes: aerospace medicine and psychology, life support systems and controlled environments, safety equipment, exobiology and extraterrestrial life, and flight crew behavior and performance

Assessment of Mental Workload: a Comparison of Machine Learning Methods and Subjective Assessment Techniques

Mental workload (MWL) measurement is a complex multidisciplinary research field. In the last 50 years of research endeavour, MWL measurement has mainly produced theory-driven models. Some of the reasons for justifying this trend includes the omnipresent uncertainty about how to define the construct of MWL and the limited use of datadriven research methodologies. This work presents novel research focused on the investigation of the capability of a selection of supervised Machine Learning (ML) classification techniques to produce data-driven computational models of MWL for the prediction of objective performance. These are then compared to two state-of-the-art subjective techniques for the assessment of MWL, namely the NASA Task Load Index and the Workload Profile, through an analysis of their concurrent and convergent validity. Findings show that the data-driven models generally tend to outperform the two baseline selected techniques

Associations between job demands, perceptions of noise at work and the psychological contract

Despite the widespread interest in the effects of workload on behaviour, there has been little research on the effects of it on attitudes and values in the workplace and life generally. The aim of the present research was to examine associations between noise exposure (which increases workload) and components of the psychological contract (fairness; trust; organisational commitment; work satisfaction; motivation; organisational citizenship; and intention to stay/quit). 166 workers completed a survey measuring components of the psychological contract, perceptions of noise exposure and other job characteristics. Univariate analyses showed that higher noise exposure was associated with a more negative psychological contract. However, adjustment for other job characteristics, both negative (e.g. job demands) and positive (e.g. control and support), removed the significant effects of noise. These results confirm previous research suggesting that psychosocial stressors have greater behavioural effects than components of the physical working environment such as noise

Effects of perceptions of information overload, noise and environmental demands on wellbeing and academic attainment.

The present research considers components of information overload, which may have a negative impact on wellbeing and academic attainment. 179 university students completed a survey consisting of an information overload scale (IOS) and the wellbeing process questionnaire. Their academic attainment scores were also added to the database. The IOS scale also included questions relating to noise exposure. Both the noise scores and non-noise IOS scores were associated with greater negative wellbeing and lower positive wellbeing. There were no significant effects of noise or IOS scores on academic attainment. Wellbeing is predicted by a number of factors such as exposure to stressors, negative coping, social support and psychological capital. When these established factors were included in the analyses, the effects of noise and other aspects of IOS could be accounted for by exposure to other stressors and were no longer significant predictors of negative or positive wellbeing

Student workload, wellbeing and academic attainment

There has been extensive research on workload, often in the laboratory or workplace. Less research has been conducted in educational settings and there is very little examining workload, wellbeing and academic attainment of university students. The present study of 1294 students examined associations between perceptions of workload, hours spent at university, time pressure and attainment and wellbeing outcomes (measured using the Wellbeing Process Questionnaire). Established predictors (stressors; social support; negative coping; positive personality and conscientiousness) were controlled for, and the analyses showed that workload was significantly associated with all outcomes whereas time pressure was only related to course stress and negative wellbeing (life stress, fatigue and anxiety/depression). Hours spent at the university had no significant effects. The effects of workload were interpreted in terms of an initial challenge leading to increased efficiency and attainment. These results show the importance of including workload in future longitudinal research on student wellbeing and attainment

The effects of chewing gum on perceived stress and wellbeing in students under a high and low workload

Research has suggested that chewing gum relieves perceptions of stress in stressed and non- stressed individuals but is most beneficial for those experiencing a greater amount of negative work characteristics. To determine if this was true in a student sample, the present study assigned 36 students to four one-day intervention conditions in which participants either chewed or refrained from gum and experienced a high or low workload. The results showed that an individual’s perceptions of stress and mental fatigue decreased as a result of chewing gum. Depression and cognitive failures decreased as a result of experiencing a high workload. Perceptions of physical fatigue decreased when chewing gum under a high workload. The findings suggested that gum may be an effective way to reduce certain stress characteristics, and also reassuring students that a high workload is not necessarily detrimental to their wellbeing

HCI perspectives on man-machine systems

This paper, the revision of an earlier report by the same author (issued by the Department of Computer Science, Tampere University, Finland), discusses difficulties in the design of man-machine systems, from the perspective of human-computer interaction. In particular, a current approach to complex systems, called 'cognitive engineering', is detailed and discussed in relation to problems of complexity and representation. Some of the conceptual insights of Jens Rasmussen are considered, in addition to other design responses, as means of making progress in the design of better man-machine systems

Exploring the influence of information overload, internet addiction, and social network addiction, on students’ well-being and academic outcomes.

This study explored how students' main information problems during the information age, namely internet addiction, information overload, and social network addiction, influence holistic well-being and academic attainment. The participants were 226 university students, all UK based and regular internet users. They answered the Internet Addiction Test, Information Overload Scale, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, and the Wellbeing Process Questionnaire. Data were analysed with SPSS using correlation and linear regression analysis. The univariate analyses confirmed the negative impact of information overload, internet addiction and social media addiction on positive well-being but not academic attainment. However, multivariate analyses controlling for established predictors of well-being showed that the effects of information overload, internet addiction and social media addiction were largely non-significant, confirming other research using this analysis strategy. Future research should examine the type of internet use as well as the extent of it

Feasibility of a human performance model in consequence management

Human civilization has always encountered unpredictable disasters as a result of natural events. Now it also faces the disasters caused by terrorist attacks. Governments must have consequence management plans in place to protect public health and safety, restore essential services, and provide emergency relief to affected businesses and individuals. Human performance models predict outcomes in complex dynamic situations. Such models can simulate disaster management procedures under varying circumstances. This work applies human performance modeling in a terrorist situation and evaluates possible uses of such models by first responders in practical consequence management applications. It includes a case study of an attempted terrorist attack --Abstract, page iv