Training fast and frugal heuristics in military decision making

Fast and frugal heuristics have been used to model decision making in applied domains very effectively, suggesting that they could be used to improve applied decision making. We developed a fast and frugal heuristic for infantry decisions using experts from the British Army. This was able to predict around 80% of their decisions using three cues. Next, we examined the benefits of learning to use the fast and frugal heuristic by training junior officers in the British Army to apply the heuristic and assessing their accuracy and mental workload when making decisions. Their performance was compared to a control condition of junior officers who applied standard military decision methods. Participants using the fast and frugal heuristic made decisions as accurately as participants in the control condition, but with reduced mental demand. This demonstrates that fast and frugal heuristics can be learnt and are as effective as analytic decision methods.     

Identification des facteurs de charge mentale de travail des conseillers en centre d’appels à l’aide d’entretiens semi-directifs

This article offers a new perspective on the working conditions of teleworkers. Thus, the originality of this study lies in the use and operationalization of the ICA model (Galy, 2017) for the analysis of verbatims and the categorization of factors influencing the quality of work life, based on the realization of semi-structured interviews. The results, on the one hand, validate the reference model in a qualitative way and, on the other hand, show that the individual interpretation of each employee is necessary to be able to categorize the factors influencing each of the dimensions of mental workload. Thus, we propose to add a cognitive evaluation module to the theoretical model, in order to refine the conceptualization of mental workload.     

情境意识的理论模型、测量及其应用

情境意识（situation awareness简称SA）是个体对不断变化的外部环境的内部表征。在复杂、动态变化的信息环境中,它是影响操作者决策和绩效的关键因素。文章着重回顾并分析了情境意识的四种研究取向,主要的测量技术,及其在系统设计和评价、人员选拔和训练方面的应用,最后提出了未来需要深入研究的几个问题。     

Comparing eye-tracking metrics of mental workload caused by NDRTs in semi-autonomous driving

The objective of this study was to verify the effectiveness of eye-tacking metrics in indicating driver’s mental workload in semi-autonomous driving when the driver is engaged in different non-driving related tasks (NDRTs). A driving simulator was developed for three scenarios (high-, medium-, and low-mental workload presented by SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Levels 0, 1, and 2) and three uni-modality secondary tasks. Thirty-six individuals participated in the driving simulation experiment. NASA-TLX (Task Load Index), secondary task performance, and eye-tracking metrics were used as indicators of mental workload. The subjective rating using the NASA-TLX showed a main effect of autonomous level on mental workload in both visual and auditory tasks. Correlation-matrix calculation and principal-component extraction indicated that pupil diameter change, number of saccades, saccade duration, fixation duration, and 3D gaze entropy were effective indicators of a driver’s mental workload in the visual and auditory multi-tasking situations of semi-autonomous driving. The accuracy of predicting the mental-workload level using the K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) classifier was 88.9% with bootstrapped data. These results can be used to develop an adaptive multi-modal interface that issues efficient and safe takeover requests.     

Measured increases in steering entropy may predict when performance will degrade: A driving simulator study

We investigated the effect of time-on-task on driver’s mental workload and driving performance during a simulated driving task. The extent of mental workload was estimated from steering entropy, while driver performance was measured from the Standard Deviation of Lateral Position (SDLP) and the Standard Deviation (SD) Sterring Angle. Seventeen participants underwent a simulated highway driving task for 60 min. The results show that mental workload increased significantly after 15 min, whereas driving performance did not degrade until 30 min. These results suggest that when drivers first affected by time-on-task, they can cope with the situation by increasing mental effort investment and can manage to perform normally for a while (15 min). Since changes in steering entropy precede changes in driving performance, this measure of mental workload may have utility as a predictor of increased accident risk.     

Antecedents of flourishing at work in a fast-moving consumer goods company

The aims of this study were to investigate antecedents of flourishing in the workplace. A cross-sectional survey design was used with a stratified random sample of 779 employees in a fast-moving consumer goods company in South Africa (females = 40.4%, blacks = 33.4%). The participants responded to the Flourishing-at-Work Scale -Short Form, Job Demands-Resources Scale, one subscale of the Survey Work-Home Interaction – Nijmegen, and Authentic Leadership Questionnaire. The results showed that advancement, negative work-home interaction (inverse), and authentic leadership predicted flourishing at work. Workload, job insecurity, and compensation did not predict workplace flourishing or languishing. The study confirms the relevance of the Job Demands-Resources model for understanding flourishing in the workplace.     

驾驶员为何对道路关键事件“视而不见”?——“自下而上”和“自上而下”加工机制的交互作用

驾驶员“视而不见”错误是指驾驶员的视线虽然指向道路上的危险目标, 却没有知觉到其存在, 对交通安全构成威胁。本文首先在注意计算框架内, 分别从“自下而上”和“自上而下”两种加工机制探讨诱发驾驶员“视而不见”错误的主要因素, 该框架解释力不足的原因在于没有充分考虑实践经验和动机对驾驶员预期和注意定势的影响。由此提出注意计算框架扩展模型, 通过“自下而上”和“自上而下”的交互作用机制对驾驶员“视而不见”错误提出综合解释。     

Appraised psychological workload, musculoskeletal symptoms, and the mediating effect of fatigue: a structural equation modeling approach

The aim of the present study was to test two structural models of the relationship between appraised psychological workload and musculoskeletal symptoms from the neck, shoulder, and upper and lower back with different aspects of perceived fatigue as mediating variables. In this cross-sectional study a questionnaire survey was conducted among employees at three Swedish assembly plants (n= 305). The proposed models were tested for one general fatigue dimension--lack of energy--and four specific fatigue dimensions--physical discomfort, physical exertion, lack of motivation, and sleepiness--using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that the role of perceived fatigue in the relationship between appraised workload and musculoskeletal symptoms is different for different aspects of fatigue. The general fatigue dimension, lack of energy, does not mediate the relationship. As regards the specific fatigue dimensions, the relationship is partially mediated by physical discomfort and lack of motivation but not by physical exertion or sleepiness. Appraised psychological workload has a unique effect on musculoskeletal symptoms not mediated by fatigue.