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Cognitive Ergonomics Part 1

This document provides an overview of topics to be covered in a seminar on cognitive ergonomics, including definitions of cognitive ergonomics and information theory. It describes a human information processing model and discusses perception, signal detection theory, and memory. Specifically, it defines types of memory and ways to improve memory recall, and outlines Miller's rule regarding working memory capacity.

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Jeffry Tolorio
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145 views18 pages

Cognitive Ergonomics Part 1

This document provides an overview of topics to be covered in a seminar on cognitive ergonomics, including definitions of cognitive ergonomics and information theory. It describes a human information processing model and discusses perception, signal detection theory, and memory. Specifically, it defines types of memory and ways to improve memory recall, and outlines Miller's rule regarding working memory capacity.

Uploaded by

Jeffry Tolorio
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SEMINAR ON COGNITIVE

ERGONOMICS (PART 1)
Cebu Technological University – Argao Campus
TOPICS
 Definition and Scope of Cognitive Ergonomics
 Information Theory

 Human Information Processing Model

 Perception and Signal Detection Theory

 Memory
WHAT IS COGNITIVE ERGONOMICS?
 “Cognitive ergonomics is the discipline of making human-
system interaction compatible with human cognitive
abilities and limitations, particularly at work. It utilizes
the knowledge emerging from the cognitive sciences on
mental processes such as perception, attention, memory,
decision making, and learning. The methods of these fields
of research are applied to gain a better understanding of
the factors that affect cognitive function. The practical aim
is to improve work conditions and human performance, as
well as safety and health, and to avoid human error and
unnecessary load and stress.” (International Ergonomics
Society, 2013)
INFORMATION THEORY
 Information Theory is the science of measuring and
understanding information.
 It measures information in bits in which a bit (from
computer’s binary digit) is the amount of information
required to decide between two equally likely alternatives.
 If there are equally likely alternatives:
 If the alternatives are not equally likely:

 Example:
With only two alternatives, such as the toss of an unweighted
coin, there is 1 bit of information presented.
If the coin is weighted so that heads comes up 90 percent of the
time and tails only 10 percent of time. The amount of
information conveyed in a coin toss becomes
HUMAN INFORMATION PROCESSING MODEL
(WICKENS, 1984)
PERCEPTION
 Perception - the comparison of incoming stimulus
information with stored knowledge to categorize the
information.

 Detection – the most basic form of perception. It is the


determination of of whether a stimulus is actually present
or not.
SIGNAL DETECTION THEORY
 A theory used to explain a situation in which an observer
needs to identify a signal from confounding noise.

 Four outcomes in identifying a signal:


 Hit - saying there is a signal when the signal is present
 Correction rejection - saying there is no signal when no signal
is present
 False alarm - saying there is a signal when no signal is
present
 Miss - saying there is no signal when the signal is present
Case 1: Conservative Inspector
A conservative inspector sets the criterion far to the right. In such a situation, the
probability of hits is low (e.g., 0.30). The probability of false alarms is even lower
(e.g., 0.05)
Case 2: Average Inspector
If the inspector is average, neither conservative nor risky, the probability of hits
roughly equals the probability of correct rejections. The curves intersect
symmetrically, resulting in the same ordinate values and a value of 1.0 for beta.
Case 3: Risky Inspector
A risky inspector sets the criterion far to the left, increasing the probability of hits
(e.g., 0.95) at the cost of a high probability of false alarms (e.g., 0.70).
Case 4: Increased Sensitivity
If the signal can be better separated from the noise, the probability of hits will
increase (e.g., up to 0.90), while the probability of false alarms will remain
fairly low (e.g., 0.10). With increased sensitivity there is better performance in
identifying signal from noise.
HUMAN INFORMATION PROCESSING MODEL
(WICKENS, 1984)
MEMORY
 Types of Memory
 Sensory Store - the transient memory located at the input
stage of a sensory channel.
 Working Memory / Short-term Memory - temporary storage of
information while it is being processed for a response.
 Long-term Memory - Long-term storage of information for
later use.

 Miller’s Rule
 The upper limit for the capacity of working memory at
approximately 7 ± 2 items.
 Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve
 A graph that is useful in understanding the joint effects of
sensitivity and response bias on data from a signal detection
analysis.
 Ways to Improve Memory (for Recall)
 Chunking - grouping of similar items
 Rehearsal – mental repetition of items
 Association - concrete relationships of a name or word with
previous knowledge utilizing the user’s expectations and
stereotypes; useful in maintaining long-term memory.
 References
 Oshwiki.eu. 2021. Cognitive Ergonomics: Oshwiki. [online]
Available at: https://oshwiki.eu/wiki/Cognitive_ergonomics

 Freivalds, A. and Niebel, B., 2014. Niebel's Methods,


Standards, And Work Design. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

 Wickens, C. D. (2018). Engineering psychology and human


performance. Routledge.

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