Structuring effect of tools conceptualized through initial goal fixedness for work activity

Analysis of work activities in nuclear industry has highlighted a new psycho-cognitive phenomenon: the structuring effect of tools (SET) sometimes leading to unexpected operating deviations; the subject is unable to perform a task concerning object A using or adapting a tool designed and presented to perform the same task concerning object B when object A is expected by the subject. Conditions to isolate and identify the SET were determined and reproduced in experiments for further analysis. Students and seven professional categories of adults (N = 77) were involved in three experimental conditions (control group, group with prior warning, group with final control) while individually performing a task with similar characteristics compared to real operating conditions and under moderate time-pressure. The results were: (1) highest performance with prior warning and (2) demonstration that academic and professional training favor the SET. After discussing different cognitive processes potentially related to the SET, we described (3) the psycho-cognitive process underlying the SET: Initial Goal Fixedness (IGF), a combination of the anchoring of the initial goal of the activity with a focus on the features of the initial goal favored by an Einstellung effect. This suggested coping with the negative effect of the SET by impeding the IGF rather than trying to increase the subjects’ awareness at the expense of their health. Extensions to other high-risk industries were discussed

Decontextualization effect in simulation training for transverse professional practices

Whereas full scale simulators operated for contextualized simulated training sessions are widely used for occupational training, studies undertaken regarding virtual applications have shown that decontextualized simulated situations could be used as a relevant lever to help trainees improving professional skills. This was here quantified and analyzed through three different experimental conditions (two included virtual training, contextualized and decontextualized) summoning N=33 experienced workers. A pre-analysis for experiment design helped us to define necessary features for decontextualized design with the objective of successful occupational training. Analysis of the benefits induced by each experimental condition was undertaken through comparative assessment of trainees’ performance after training. Results showed that, when respecting aforementioned specified features for experienced workers, decontextualized simulation training could significantly increase performance compared to contextualized training. This phenomenon was discussed both from the psychological and neurophysiologic standpoints

Innovative debriefing protocol for simulation training improvement

Previous multidisciplinary study of vocational simulation training helped us to elaborate an innovative debriefing protocol for simulation training sessions in seven steps applying two key principles (called “debriefing 7S2P”). This study aimed at testing its efficacy and assessing its potential performance. This was undertaken experimentally for simulation training sessions in industrial context gathering novice and experienced workers (N=68) to perform individually a simple technical task. The results obtained showed that this debriefing protocol could provide a gain of performance up to 30%. Analysis and explanation were provide

Structuring effect of tools conceptualized through initial goal fixedness for work activity

Analysis of work activities in nuclear industry has highlighted a new psycho-cognitive phenomenon: the structuring effect of tools (SET) sometimes leading to unexpected operating deviations; the subject is unable to perform a task concerning object A using or adapting a tool designed and presented to perform the same task concerning object B when object A is expected by the subject. Conditions to isolate and identify the SET were determined and reproduced in experiments for further analysis. Students and seven professional categories of adults (N = 77) were involved in three experimental conditions (control group, group with prior warning, group with final control) while individually performing a task with similar characteristics compared to real operating conditions and under moderate time-pressure. The results were: (1) highest performance with prior warning and (2) demonstration that academic and professional training favor the SET. After discussing different cognitive processes potentially related to the SET, we described (3) the psycho-cognitive process underlying the SET: Initial Goal Fixedness (IGF), a combination of the anchoring of the initial goal of the activity with a focus on the features of the initial goal favored by an Einstellung effect. This suggested coping with the negative effect of the SET by impeding the IGF rather than trying to increase the subjects’ awareness at the expense of their health. Extensions to other high-risk industries were discussed