Engineering psychology - “Man-machine system”

Main directions of engineering psychology[3]

• Analysis of human tasks in control systems, distribution of functions between humans and automatic systems, including those with artificial intelligence.
• Engineering and psychological design
• Study of the joint activities of operators, communication processes and information interaction between them.
• Analysis of the psychological structure of operators' activities.
• Study of factors influencing the efficiency, quality, accuracy, speed, reliability of operators’ actions.
• Study of human information reception processes, study of human sensory “inputs”.
• Study of the formation of commands to perform control actions by a person, the characteristics of speech and motor “output”.
• Analysis of the processes of human information processing, its storage and decision-making, psychological mechanisms for regulating the activities of operators.
• Development of methods of psychodiagnostics, professional guidance and selection of camera specialists.
• Development of methods to protect operators from emotional burnout.
• Analysis and optimization of operator training processes.
• Using research results for the design and operation of human-machine (human-technical and human-information) systems.

In the process of development of engineering psychology, there was a transition from the study of individual elements of activity to the study of work activity as a whole, from considering the operator as a simple link in the control system to considering him as a complex, highly organized system, from a machine-centric approach to an anthropocentric one, and then to a systemic one.

Scientific and technological progress has led to the spread of the conditions that led to the creation of engineering psychology to all types of human activity that require professionalism. These conditions include:

• a sharp increase in the pace
  of social life, a significant increase in
  information flows
  and associated
  uncertainty
• the growth of civilian and military energy capacities
  managed by a professional:
  
  the price of mistakes
  made by performers and incompetent managers
  has become expensive
• of extreme situations
  has increased significantly , the neuropsychic
  tension
  of labor subjects
• technical devices, means of processing and displaying information - began to mediate people's activities everywhere, even in traditionally humanitarian areas of study.

Thus, at present, in any work, the subject of labor, a professional, turns out to be similar to a human operator in human-technical systems studied in engineering psychology. In this regard, in the new technical and information reality, a need (and opportunity) arose for the dissemination of an engineering-psychological approach

and methods developed in engineering psychology for any type of complex professional activity.

As a result of the changes that have occurred in the technical and information reality, the engineering-psychological approach to the study of professional activity and professionalism has become relevant in the new conditions.

Features of the areas of engineering psychology, key points of development

Psychologists study areas related to the psychological activity of workers servicing equipment:

1. Integrated work of operators, interaction during the execution of the assigned task.
2. Personality within management, distribution of functions.
3. Factors influencing the operator's activities.
4. Specific methods of career guidance.
5. Processing information, regulating activities based on new information.
6. Optimizing on-the-job training.
7. Development of new methods for diagnosing the operator’s mental state.
8. Application of the obtained diagnostic results to create preventive methods of protection.
9. Increasing the psychological stability of employees.
10. Conducting educational events.

The development of science has contributed to the transition from the study of specific elements of activity to the consideration of work as an integral process. The operator has become a separate, highly organized unit. The social sphere of science in the 21st century has become anthropocentric, focused on the physical and psychological well-being of workers.

The formation of engineering psychology as an independent science

The history of the industry's development began in the 20th century, after the technological boom. The development of technology in Europe, America and Russia has led to an increase in the interest of psychologists in the psychological aspects of work. The change in production conditions entailed a change in the approach to work and, as a result, a consideration of the psyche of the technical operator.

In the USSR, the first All-Union Conference of Psychologists dedicated to the study of labor took place in 1957. At it, engineering psychology was recognized as a separate science. The main result of the conference was the creation of the first laboratory of industrial psychology. The head of the laboratory was B. Lomov, who organized all-Union research. Thanks to the results of the laboratory's work, the working conditions were revised many times.

In the period from 1960 to 1963, three more large laboratories were created, in which they studied the influence of production conditions on the psyche, and the peculiarities of the interaction between the operator and the mechanisms. This allowed for increased productivity without resorting to dehumanizing methods. The main contribution to the development of the industry in the USSR and Russia was made by V. Vavilov, V. Venda, A. Galaktionova.

Types of higher nervous activity

There are individual characteristics of people, determined by the uniqueness of the nervous system and its properties. The processes of inhibition and excitation can be strong, weak, mobile, balanced and unbalanced.

The strength of the nervous system is characterized by a high limit of performance of nerve cells, their resistance to irritants, great strength, intensity, and resistance to the action of constant irritants. Weakness of the nervous system - low expression of its strength, increased fatigue, but at the same time high sensitivity.

Mobility and inactivity (inertia), inhibition is manifested in the speed of occurrence and transformation of these processes, the ease of transitions from one to another, the speed of a person’s transition from a state of rest to activity, in the ability to control oneself and collect thoughts.

Balance and imbalance are characterized by the ratio of the strength of excitation and inhibition.

There can be many types of higher nervous activity, but the main ones are distinguished: Strong (sanguine), Calm (phlegmatic), Uncontrolled (choleric) and Weak (melancholic).

Reflex is the main form of brain activity when reflecting various influences on a person.

The speed of reaction of different tissues is not indifferent. Nervous tissue cannot respond to more than 500 stimuli per second. Muscular - no more than 200. This indicator is called tissue lability . If the flow of nerve impulses exceeds the level of lability, a state of “overexcitation” or parabiosis

when the body’s reaction is not correct and adequate.

There are 3 stages of parabiosis:

1. Equalizing - the same reaction to strong and weak stimuli. 2. Paradoxical - weak reaction in response to strong stimuli and vice versa. 3. Inhibitory - no reaction.

The 6th is the CHECKPOINT, before that you need to get 4 marks, otherwise it’s fucked up (total).

Will have to work in the next two weeks in addition to the main work assignment

Wednesday, 30.09

DZ for the next pair: Question - the relationship between the human psyche and the brain (report)

Main aspects of the engineering-psychological approach

The main aspects of the engineering-psychological approach are as follows:

In methodology

- This is
a systemic principle
in combination with
anthropocentric
,
natural science and
technical
and technological
paradigms.

In theory

is a combination of the following concepts:

• the concept of activity
  as a purposeful open system and a person as
  a subject of labor
  , including an operator
• concept of informational
  and
  conceptual
  (mental)
  models
  of professional activity
• concept of requirements for a professional person
• human reliability concept
• transformational learning theory
• concept of extreme conditions and rehabilitation of professionals after overload
• activity design concept

as well as a number of other concepts

In methodological tools

– methods
of professionography
(based on the systematic use of professionograms), career guidance, professional selection, simulator and training preparation, analysis of learning curves, algorithmization, design and ergonomic assessment of activities, analysis and optimization of the mental states of a specialist resulting from his professional activity.

see also

• Professionogram
• Ergonomics
• Usability

"Man-machine system"

According to the principles of systems analysis, the object of engineering psychology is the control system (“human-machine system” - HMS), and the control object has a pronounced systemic character. Systems, an object and its management are described by a set of models based on an analysis of the functions of their elements. Examples of system control objects are air traffic around an airport, regional energy supply, manufacturing enterprises, regional and state (and international) health care and education systems. Management of such objects requires the development of special structural and functional formations - management systems that ensure the solution of socially significant problems. There are two types of such systems - information or data processing systems (DPS) and management systems (MS).

Information systems vary in the degree of generalization of information and include: 1) territorial systems for transmitting and processing data for planning, control and implementation of development programs in various sectors of the economy; 2) industry information systems for services in the field of healthcare, education, science, transport, energy, finance and banking; 3) local systems for collecting and processing planning, economic and accounting information for planning and control tasks at enterprises and organizations. The control systems themselves are designed to control the functioning of the system object using technical, including electronic, means. They include two types of systems: 1) process control systems (production, energy and transport systems); 2) systems for remote control (robot manipulators) and support for the activities of the “pilot” of the vehicle “in the cockpit”. The challenges in developing remote control devices are obvious.

The engineering and psychological problems of developing means of supporting the activities of people managing traffic are not so obvious. Control of high-speed railway trains, aircraft (planes, helicopters), water transport facilities (ships and submarines), and spacecraft is characterized by high situational dynamics and the need to take into account a large number of factors, including threat factors. A person's ability to take into account a large number of interrelated characteristics and speed in such conditions is limited; To overcome them, special engineering and psychological developments are required that support, and therefore ensure, the efficiency and safety of the system. An example is the control of a helicopter landing on the deck of a ship. The pilot must time the landing for a successful landing—integrate the characteristics of speed, roll and vertical movement, and predict changes in the relative position of the deck and the helicopter along the four coordinates.

Control systems, regardless of their nature and purpose, can be represented as a “control loop” containing four components: an object (what is subject to control), a control component (what controls), an influence mechanism and feedback means.

Basically, control systems differ in whether the control component is software and hardware or a person. When control actions are carried out according to programs of functioning technical means, such a system is usually called automatic. This means that a person does not participate in the control scheme sequentially with technical elements, but his functions include starting the system, selecting a program and operating mode, as well as monitoring their implementation. In the event of a failure—malfunction—the system stops working until the problem is eliminated and requires permission to continue operating.

Main aspects: scientific concepts, principles and requirements

The engineering-psychology approach is created by adhering to concepts that ensure safety, productivity and efficiency. The set of concepts includes the following principles:

• a specified set of requirements for the operator;
• constantly improving teaching methods;
• rehabilitation of workers exposed to overload;
• accessibility and reliability of professional information;
• open activity, focus on the employee as a subject of the production process;
• predictability of activities.

The tools of a psychologist working to study the interaction between technology and humans include methods of vocational selection, training, mental state analysis and optimization of people’s mental health.

Relative clarity of color combinations in reflected light.

Rice. 60. If the last digits do not have essential meaning (i.e. the accuracy contained in their readings is not respected), then they should be replaced with constant zeros. A different approach is recommended for the numbers in front that are not required by the operator for work; in this case the corresponding space must be empty.

The ratio of the height of the digits to their width for drum counters should be 1: 1, and not 3: 2, as is recommended for other instrumentation. This is due to distortions in the shape of the numbers caused by the curved surface of the drum.

Meters should always be oriented so that their readings are read from left to right. The spaces between numbers should not exceed half the height of the number.

If more than four digits are required, it should be noted that multi-digit numbers are easier to read and remember if they are divided into groups separated by slightly larger spaces, periods or commas.

No more than one digit should appear in the counter window at a time.

Due to the small viewing angle from which the numbers in drum-type counters are visible, they should be located perpendicular to the line of observation.

The contrast between the figure and the surrounding background should always be maximized. Black numbers on a white background provide the clearest visibility under normal lighting conditions. White numbers on a black background are appropriate when it is necessary to maintain the conditions of tempo adaptation of the observer's eyes.

Digital devices must also meet engineering and psychological requirements.

Control placement: The most commonly used controls should be located at a height between your elbow and shoulder.

The easiest to find control is located in front slightly below the shoulder (Fig. 61); maximum effort can be applied to the levers, which are grasped at shoulder level by a standing operator, and at elbow level by a sitting operator (Fig. 62).

Rice. 61

Rice. 62

It is preferable to locate the controls at some distance to the side of the operator's central axis.

When the operator is in a fixed position (for example, a pilot attached to the seat with shoulder straps), the controls should be located at a distance of no more than 700 mm from the operator’s shoulder (Fig. 63).

Rice. 63

An example of an unsuccessful key placement is the push-button speed switch on modern American cars:

REGULAR ACCOMMODATION

Errors:

• There is no logical connection with the sequential increase in speed;
• There is no reliance on the usual connection of directions;
• There is no logical connection with the sequence of operations.

ACCOMMODATION ACCORDING TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF ENGINEERING PSYCHOLOGY

Principles applied:

• The button corresponding to the initial operation is placed at the top left, since this is usually the first place that the operator sees when examining the panel;
• Most of the time, the car, as a rule, goes at medium speed (1), so its key is placed in the familiar “left-to-right” sequence, the second after the start;
• Reverse is the next most frequently used shift, so this key, following the same “left-to-right” principle, is located to the right of the average speed;
• The increase in speed from the lowest to the highest corresponds to the usual arrangement of controls from bottom to top;
• 2nd and 3rd speeds follow in the usual order for a person from top to bottom.

Scales, dials and dial indicators of devices must meet ergonomic requirements.

Basic mechanisms of nervous activity

Irradiation

- distribution, expansion of the zone covered by excitation or inhibition in the cerebral cortex.

Induction

- this process stimulates the occurrence of a reverse process in neighboring zones, so a person engaged in one activity or another should not be distracted.

Concentration

excitation or inhibition as the reverse process of irradiation.

The main mechanism of higher nervous activity, ensuring the correct reaction and establishing balance between the body and the environment, is the reflex

, as a response of the body to the influence of the external or internal environment.

Unconditioned reflexes -

nature-based;
Conditioned reflexes -
formed as a response to the characteristics of human life, ensure a person’s adaptability to the environment.

A stable system of conditioned reflexes is called a Dynamic stereotype.

The system of conditioned reflexes, which ensures the correct response to direct stimuli passing through the sense organs, is called the first signal system

.

In the process of long-term development, a person has developed a second signaling system - a signal or stimulus is a concept that exists in the form of a word.

Lecture No. 2

Anatomical and physiological foundations of physics.

1. Structure of the nervous system 2. Levels of functional activity 3. Basic mechanisms in nervous activity 4. Types of higher nervous activity 5. Parabiosis

4 pages, 1534 words

Ventricular system of the brain

...brain. Into the venous sinuses. It flows into the roots of the lymphatic system, mainly into the lymphatic system of the nasal cavity. 3. Elements of the peripheral nervous system. Cranial nerves: brief characteristics of V - VII pairs. The human nervous system ... professional activities of teachers and psychologists are able to influence the psyche of a child or adult, precisely based on knowledge about the nervous system, ...

Features of engineering psychology, purpose and meaning of science

Objects of study of engineering psychology: man, technology, relationship between worker and equipment. With its help, new technologies are developed, introduced into everyday life, selected, professionally and psychologically trained people to interact with complex equipment.

Psychologists studying the psyche of operators have a dual task. Researchers are simultaneously working with the psyche of people responsible for the creation and maintenance of equipment and the technical component. This feature requires specific methods. The structure, which includes humans and technology, is aimed at creating a workable sequence of actions. Therefore, a number of individual structures are characterized by patterns oriented towards the unification of material and subjective principles.

The guiding pattern relates to solving a performance problem. The increase in speed is ensured by modernization of equipment and an increase in the accumulated experience of operators. Combining the achievements of man and technology leads to coordination, increases the reliability and safety of equipment, speeds up and facilitates the training of workers. The totality of developments leads to the development of ergonomics - mutually beneficial interaction between people and equipment, both in production conditions and in everyday life.

Another pattern determines the nature of production relations. The capitalist approach leads to the alienation of labor and dehumanization of the individual, while the socialist approach is aimed at creating an attitude towards work as part of harmonious development. Thus, research into the characteristics of technical progress is focused on finding a way to transition to a socialist production model.

Stages of operator activity.

The central, creative stage of the operator’s activity is decision making.

For quick and effective management decision-making, optimal organization of the initial information received by the operator is necessary - optimal conditions for distinguishing and recognizing signs (see table).

Connection with other sciences, role in the general structure of sciences

Within the process, people and equipment are considered as a unit. Based on this idea, a number of requirements and recommendations are formed for the development of equipment, space arrangement, and methods for selecting and training specialists. This requires interaction with other disciplines that study personality structure, character and behavior.

The study of production conditions is the basis for creating a new approach to considering the relationship between man and technology. It involves considering a person as part of the production process, which depends on him and directly affects the conditions of the living and working environment. At the same time, the worker also influences the environment, forming an interdependent relationship between units and operators. Research into the technical characteristics of the labor process takes into account this connection to develop practical methods implemented at the enterprise to improve working conditions, increase safety, and make the work process more humane.

Research in the field of human labor activity is significant not only for the production of technology, but also for the study of the human psyche. During work, the personality traits of a person, as an individual and as a subject of activity, appear. These features are important for obtaining complete information about the structure of the psyche.

Thus, the study of aspects of work helps to increase the awareness of psychologists about the variants of individual mental reactions, personality characteristics, and the influence of personal characteristics on the characteristics of production.

Job Outlook for an Engineering Psychologist

Currently, the majority of engineering psychologists are employed in the private sector, and company performance has a strong influence on the number of jobs and demand for specialists in this field. However, as corporations become increasingly aware of the important role that an engineering psychologist can play in the design and product development process, the demand for skilled professionals is growing.

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Methods of engineering psychology.

The main research methods in engineering psychology are observation, conversation and experiment.

Observing the operator’s activities allows us to get a fairly complete picture of his preparedness, performance, self-control, determination, emotional stability, speed and accuracy of his control actions.

The observer must be well aware of the specifics of the operator’s activity, have a sufficient understanding of the psychological essence of this method and clearly understand the task of observation.

A conversation is usually used to study the causes and errors in the operator’s work, as well as the prerequisites for them. The subject is asked pre-thought-out questions, the order and form of which are changed depending on the individual characteristics of the person and the course of the conversation itself.

9 pages, 4079 words

Creativity in the activities of a psychology teacher

AUTONOMOUS NON-PROFIT EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF HIGHER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION “VORONEZH ECONOMIC AND LEGAL INSTITUTE” FACULTY OF SOCIAL AND LEGAL FACULTY DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY AND END COURSE WORK In the discipline “Methods of teaching psychology” Creativity in activities of a psychology teacher &...

Close to the conversation method is the questionnaire method, which is carried out in order to obtain the necessary information from a large number of operators.

Experiment

- this is a method of research that is characterized by deliberate systematic reproduction of the processes being studied under precisely taken into account conditions that occur from recordings of the parameters being studied.

There are laboratory, natural and model experiments.

A laboratory experiment is carried out to study various psychophysiological processes (speed and accuracy of reactions, perception, attention, thinking, memory, volitional qualities, emotional stability, etc.), as well as operator behavior in various situations. For laboratory experiments, various instruments, stands and simulators are used to simulate elements of the operator’s activity.

The disadvantage of a laboratory experiment is its artificiality.

For laboratory experiments, various instruments, stands and simulators are used to simulate elements of the operator’s activity. The disadvantage of a laboratory experiment is its artificiality.

Natural experiment

carried out in real-life conditions. The subject sometimes does not even know, and sometimes forgets, that he is the object of research. Therefore, the data obtained as a result of a natural experiment are objective and have great value.

Model experiment

This is an artificial reproduction of a phenomenon similar to another phenomenon being studied. A model experiment can be expressed as a more or less accurate reproduction of individual elements of the operator’s activity on simulators. However, if a model experiment is carried out for the purpose of psychophysiological selection of an operator, then the actions of the subject during the experiment do not necessarily have to be identical in form and actions of the operator when performing the assigned task.

Literature

• Woodson W., Conover D. Handbook of engineering psychology for engineers and design artists. - M.: MIR, 1968
• Wickens, Christopher D. (1984). Engineering Psychology and Human Performance. Columbus: Merrill.
• Fundamentals of engineering psychology. Textbook for tech. Universities / Ed. B.F. Lomova. - M.: Higher School, 1986.
• Howell, William Carl (1971). Engineering Psychology: Current Perspectives in Research. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts. ISBN 978-0-390-46456-9.
• Piskoppel A. A., Vuchetich G. G., Sergienko S. K., Shchedrovitsky L. P. Engineering psychology (disciplinary organization and conceptual structure). - M, 1994.
• Wickens, Christopher D.; Hollands, J. G. (2000), Engineering Psychology and Human Performance, Prentice-Hall, ISBN 978-0-321-04711-3
• Strelkov Yu. K. Engineering and professional psychology. - M.: Academy, 2005.
• Sergeev S. F. Engineering psychology and ergonomics. - M.: Research Institute of School Technologies, 2008.
• Francis Durso, Patricia DeLucia (2010), “Engineering Psychology,” The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology, 2, John Wiley and Sons, pp. 573–576, ISBN 978-0-470-17026-7
• Stanley N. Roscoe (1997), The Adolescence of Engineering Psychology, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, archived from the original on 28 September 2011, retrieved 2 July 2011
• Journal of Engineering Psychology

History of engineering psychology

In the history of the development of a scientific direction, two stages are distinguished.

1. The first stage is associated with the emergence of a new field of knowledge and the active accumulation of practical research (20-60s of the 20th century). This was due to the development of technology and experiments that prepared the basis for the emergence of engineering psychology as a science. The founders of engineering psychology as a new scientific direction were American and English psychologists: A. Chapanis, McFerdan, W. Garner, D. Bronbet. In Russia, the first research of an engineering-psychological nature was the developments carried out in the twenties of the 20th century in the field of occupational psychology and psychotechnics. In October 1959 A laboratory of industrial psychology was organized at Leningrad State University, where B. Lomov was the director. In 1963, his monograph “Man and Technology” was published. It was this work that became the scientific work that served as the impetus for conducting large-scale research on the main problems of engineering psychology. This stage is characterized by a “machine-centric” approach, when empirical material was actively accumulated. It was these developments that later became the basis for various methodological recommendations, engineering and psychological standards, and all kinds of textbooks.

2. The second stage is associated with the theoretical formulation of engineering psychology (60-90s of the 20th century). The “anthropocentric” approach becomes predominant, according to which a person is considered as a subject, and technology is a means of labor. This stage is characterized by a transition from an impersonal person to an individual person, in whose hands there is a control panel.
3. The third stage is characterized by systemic research in engineering psychology (90s of the 20th century - present). A person is considered not just as a link in the “man-machine” system; the emphasis is shifted to the design of human activity in “man-technology” systems.

Conversation with engineering psychologist Anatoly Kostin

Convenience is a key characteristic of any thing, especially if it is a commercial product. Manufacturers are often so keen on finding innovative and multifunctional solutions that they forget about this “little detail”. But many things have gained fame because of their successful interface: think of the Macintosh or iPod. Engineering psychologist and usability expert Anatoly Kostin used to design equipment for astronauts, and now creates computer interfaces and websites. Professor Kostin, scientific director of UsabilityLab, spoke to Dmitry Falaleev, senior editor of HBR Russia, about the rules of engineering psychology and the science of usability of technology. The main postulate of usability is to start not from the problems that you come up with yourself or are able to solve, but from what the user is looking for. Interface design should begin not with programming, but with an understanding of the conditions in which the consumer works and with whom he interacts. This is the so-called “activity scenario”, it must precede the start of work. In life, sometimes a different approach wins: let's make a program that will have this and that - and the client will then appreciate it. But no one thought about how people would use this program. The problem is that the finished product cannot be adapted - it is a crooked house that is easier to break than to repair. The usability postulate works not only in relation to computer and nuclear installations. It’s just that the computer interface appeared later than others. Previously, engineering psychologists designed control panels for nuclear power plants, factories, car dashboards, etc. At an even more general level, ergonomics deals with this. Ergonomists still work with even the simplest tools. The principles of creating a comfortable thing are very similar - this is one of the main conclusions of the conversation. Most people have never heard of engineering psychology. What kind of science is this? Engineering psychology is a border area between technology and psychology. This science originated in the middle of the 20th century. In the 1950s, there was an impressive leap in the development of technology: jet aircraft and complex industrial installations appeared. And following this, the number of human errors when operating equipment increased sharply. Some led to serious and even tragic consequences. Previously, mistakes were treated very simply: the person was to blame - he was overlooked, distracted, unskilled. If there were no victims, he was punished - and the incident was safely forgotten. While the accidents were isolated, this approach was more or less suitable, but then errors began to fall out of a cornucopia. Everyone had to be punished several times a day - naturally, it was stupid and pointless. It became clear that the nature of human errors has an unaccounted pattern: the fault was the inability of technology to human capabilities. Previously, no one set out to make technology so that it would be convenient to work with it, but now there was no choice left. This is how ergonomics was born - the science of work. And it has already included engineering psychology, which studies the interaction between man and technology. But earlier it was necessary to make the equipment convenient for a trained operator, but now - for the mass consumer. Changing objects is not important; the patterns remain the same. One way or another, science gradually developed, and its results began to be used not only in industrial enterprises, but also in private industries. And in the 1980s, Americans introduced the concept of usability, which means the area of ​​engineering psychology that deals with the problems of creating computer interfaces. It sounds crazy in Russian, but so far no one has been able to find the correct equivalent: usability, convenience - everything is bad. So we use the English term. You improve computer program interfaces. Explain what is the secret of Apple's success? Macintosh is considered one of the most convenient systems. The point is the success or failure of certain decisions. Microsoft, in my opinion, has one of the largest usability departments, which tests and researches the interfaces of developed software products. So it’s wrong to think that only Apple thinks about convenience. It’s just that multifunctionality, which many large developers strive for, is a double-edged sword. They strive to cram as many options into the product as possible. But there is a pattern: 90% of people use 10% of the software’s capabilities, only advanced users know about the remaining 90% of the functions, and their maximum is 10%. A huge number of options overloads the interface, and an ordinary person has to wade through the jungle to solve a trivial problem. Well, what kind of convenience can we talk about here?! The more features, the more difficult it is to achieve usability? Naturally. The complexity of the product increases, connections between functions multiply, and therefore the number of possible unplanned situations increases. All this comes down to the user. After all, why did Apple succeed? Mac functionality is “compressed” to a minimum, only those options that a person is looking for in the first place are visible. Mac generally has a very simple interface - that's why it has become so popular. But there is no need to indiscriminately blame the usability specialists of other IT corporations - they simply preach a different philosophy. It was initially aimed at increasing functions and making the product more complex. The conclusion suggests itself: it turns out that a multifunctional product cannot be made simple? In general, yes. One of the main rules of usability says: it is better to make several relatively simple products for different user groups than to make one complex and cumbersome one and then adapt it for several groups. All the same, you can’t please everyone, but with a narrow specialization, the product at least becomes understandable and convenient. What other rules are there in usability? In fact, the main postulate is the same: go not from the problems that you come up with yourself or are able to solve, but from what the user is looking for. It would seem an unoriginal conclusion, but in fact it is very deep. Interface design should begin not with programming, as many people think, but with defining the tasks that a person will have to solve, with an understanding of the conditions in which he works, with whom he interacts. This is the so-called activity scenario; its preparation should precede design. But in life, things often happen differently: let’s make a program so that it contains such and such. Okay, they did it, but no one thought about how people would use it. The problem is that the finished product is then impossible to adapt - it’s easier to break a crooked house than to fix it. I take it this is a very common mistake? Perhaps the most typical. Many people are mistaken in believing that usability and convenience only apply to the interface. It often happens that a usability specialist is invited when the product has already been designed: we’ve done it, now you refine it, arrange the icons correctly. But an engineering psychologist and a graphic designer are not the same thing. And crooked work cannot be remade; everything must be started from scratch, according to the rules. But few people agree to this: money, people’s labor, time are spent, deadlines are running out. It turns out to be a sort of suitcase without a handle - it’s a shame to throw it away and uncomfortable to carry. In this form, the product reaches the user. And if its creators started from the consumer, and not from their own fantasies, then the return would be completely different. The rules you are talking about work at the level of logic. Why do you need to know psychology here? Instead of an answer, I will give one typical example. In aviation there is such a device - an attitude indicator. It shows the position of the aircraft relative to the horizon and is needed by the pilot to navigate in space when the ground is not visible. Essentially, it is a ball with a transverse line - the sky above, the earth below and the silhouette of an airplane. It would seem much simpler, but there is one small hitch. The fact is that the device can be designed in two different ways: to make the earth motionless and the airplane movable, and vice versa. The Americans secured the plane, and we secured the ground. It would seem that there is little difference. However, our engineering psychologists have proven: since an airplane is actually flying, then it must be mobile. When the roll angle of the car is small, there really isn’t much difference and it’s easy to navigate, but when the plane makes a sharp turn, the pilot has to mentally carry out complex transformations, imagining how the car is rotated relative to the ground. But on the device it’s the other way around! Very often, as a result, a person loses orientation, which leads to the most tragic consequences. Is the pilot always unconsciously relating himself to the aircraft on the screen? Certainly. I even think that the psychologically inadequate attitude indicator was to blame for many disasters - Western planes have the American version. Let's return to less extreme examples of awkward interfaces. How long is a person willing to suffer before he closes the program or leaves the site? This is very individual, it all depends on your personality type and motivation. Of course, on a website a person should reach the goal in two or three clicks, no more, otherwise he will get confused or even forget what he is looking for. But if you have a nosebleed and need to get your way, you will still get through. And if it’s not very good, quit on the third or fourth click. I know this from myself: when the website of one of the central newspapers changed its layout, I, cursing everything in the world, tried in vain to find the “Search” button, but did not leave the site, because... I really needed one old material. A common situation - I had the same thing with one popular news resource. As a result, I stopped reading it. But maybe the new layout was done psychologically correctly, you just need to get used to it? Nothing of the kind - since you left, it means the creators did something wrong. Most likely, they wanted to improve the design and add some features. They refined everything, but they didn’t think about how people would use it. So, is anyone mistaken who thinks that customer outflow after a design change is a temporary phenomenon? They say they will gradually get used to it. That's it. When it's convenient, people don't leave. Such sites are a typical example of designing “from the head”. In a good way, first you need to conduct research - not marketing or social, but psychological: what people are looking for, why, how much time they are willing to spend searching, etc. So, ideally, each user should be approached individually? Usability is not just convenience, but convenience for specific people in specific circumstances. If a product is made for an abstract person, then it will never become popular. There should always be a prototype before your eyes. In engineering psychology there is even such a concept as characters. They create a biography, personal characteristics, and details. First there are several characters - you need to go through all the potential options. As the work progresses, the target groups begin to crystallize and one or more characters remain: for example, a housewife over forty, a student, a pensioner, etc. And then you need to make a product that would satisfy all three characters? But this is the question. Maybe we need to make three different products - sometimes the characters are fundamentally different from each other. The project manager, of course, will prefer a universal solution, but it is not always justified. Here it would be nice to consult with an engineering psychologist. How important are psychological tricks? Well, like the fact that a person often looks at the right corner of the screen, but does not look at the left, etc. You can attract attention using standard design techniques: color, size. Preferences in colors and sizes of icons, of course, exist, but these are the simplest things, a task for a graphic designer. Time spent pressing the button, number of clicks, etc. do not reveal the reasons for a person’s actions. To do this, we need a psychologist who will create adequate tools at the analysis and design stage. Much more important is what is displayed on the monitor screen. Imagine, for example, the interface of a program for traders - this is a huge amount of information. And here, how exactly to reflect is a secondary question, what is more important is what. And to understand this, you need to understand the work of a trader. And after that you can prioritize information and program the interface. In general, we are back to the main rule of usability: we start from human activity. Will these rules also apply to a small group of people? For example, what if we are talking about software for employees of one company? Let me give you an example again. One of my colleagues was designing an interface for a television company; he had to develop a program that would allow editors to quickly work with incoming texts. The interface was not too complicated: you had to select the text, download it, start working with it, etc. Several options were created, but none suited the customers. The system essentially didn't work. Some texts were always preferable to others, and there was a war over them; others, on the contrary, were of no interest to anyone - in general, chaos reigned in the editorial office. It turned out that the imperfection of the interface led to social tension in the department. The situation was resolved extremely simply - they abandoned the expanded interface options, leaving only one virtual button. It said: “Get text.” And that's it - the problems ended there. Why? The problem of choice disappeared, and the severity of relationships between people also disappeared. Editors stopped choosing better texts; now they simply received them as they came in. In connection with this case, two conclusions immediately arise. First, the interface needs to be designed taking into account not only the psychology of the individual, but also the social connections in the group (especially when it comes to internal corporate programs). Second, sometimes it is better to deprive a person of choice and offer him ready-made options. What if we are dealing, for example, with bank clients who need to be told clearly about loans? The audience is huge, is it necessary to research it? Certainly. Even if not so thoroughly, it is necessary. Is it really better to dump all the necessary and unnecessary information on the website? Simple structuring, which owners of commercial sites always resort to, will not help here. It is subject to formal principles - it’s just a series of sections-buttons, so as not to completely drown in information. Does the client need them? Or why does he need, say, a search button on the bank’s website? I doubt that commercial website developers ask such questions. You're talking about computer interfaces, but these rules seem to be universal. In the end, the ill-conceived structure and background information of the shopping center is also a flaw in the interface. Absolutely right. It’s just that the computer interface appeared chronologically later than others. Previously, engineering psychologists designed control panels for nuclear power plants, technological production facilities, instrument panels for aircraft, space and sea ships, cars, etc. At an even more general level, ergonomics deals with improving the convenience of widely used things, household appliances, and tools. The principles of creating a comfortable thing are very similar, although, of course, there are always some differences. So, the skills of an engineering psychologist or ergonomist will always come in handy? Well, this has long been obvious. To create any commercial product you need a usability specialist. The ideas of developers and programmers, which they previously relied on, are absolutely inadequate. Fortunately, Russian entrepreneurs have recently begun to understand this.

Subject, purpose and objectives of engineering psychology.

Engineering psychology

is a scientific discipline that studies the objective laws of the processes of information interaction between man and technology with the aim of using them in the practice of designing, creating and operating the “man-machine” (HMC) system.

Engineering psychology examines human activity and the functioning of a machine in interrelation. At the same time, the leading role of man is emphasized.

A person is a subject of labor, and a machine is a tool of labor.

Thus, the subject of engineering psychology is the processes of information interaction between man and technology.

Engineering psychology arose at the intersection of technical and psychological sciences. As a psychological science, engineering psychology studies the psychological processes and properties of a person, finding out what requirements for technical devices arise from the characteristics of human activity, i.e. solving the problem of information adaptation of technology and working conditions to humans.

As a technical science, engineering psychology studies the control cults (panels) of technical devices, processes and algorithms of their functioning to clarify the requirements for the psychological and physiological characteristics of the human operator.

Thus, the ultimate goal of engineering psychology is to ensure effective information interaction between a human operator and a technical device, increasing labor productivity through the humanization of equipment and technology.

The main task of engineering psychology is to develop optimal methods and means of resolving contradictions between technological processes and technology on the one hand, and human labor activity on the other.

The main tasks of engineering psychology.

1. Analysis of human functions in the “Man-machine” system, study of the structure and classification of operator activities.

2 pages, 895 words

Subject and object of age-related human physiology and psychology

Subject and object of age-related human physiology and psychology. Completed by Student gr. BZ 113 STG Volkova A.V. Head V.V. Chizh, Berezovsky 2009 1. Structure and functions of the blood system The blood system is understood as a set of organs, tissues and some physiological processes that ensure the formation of blood and its functioning. This system includes: • organs where ... occurs

2. Study of the processes of information transformation by a human operator, which includes: Reception of information, Processing of information, Decision making, Implementation of control activities.

3. Development of principles for constructing operator workplaces.

4. Study of the influence of psychological factors on the effectiveness of SFM.

5. Development of principles and methods of professional training of operators, which includes: Professional selection, education, training, team building.

6. Engineering-psychological design and assessment of SMS.

In more specific terms, the problems of engineering psychology can be divided into a number of areas:

1. Methodological

, which includes defining the subject and purpose of the research, developing methods and principles of research and establishing the place of engineering psychology in the system of sciences.

2. Psychophysiological

, which includes the character of the operator, analysis of the operator’s activities and the study of the operator’s states.

3. Systematic

, development of principles for constructing SFM elements, design and evaluation of SChM, and assessment of the reliability and efficiency of SChM.

4. Operational,

includes professional training of operators, psychological support for the scientific organization of work and the development of methods for increasing the performance of operators.

No. 3 “Driver as VADS operator”

The person who controls technology at the current level of development of social production is the most important link in the management system. This led to the formation of the concept of a “man-machine” system (HMS).

The MMS is understood as a system that includes a human operator and a machine through which work is carried out. An operator is a person who performs some operation (action).

Operator functions are performed by workers of various professions. The main content of their activities is the reception, analysis, processing of information and the implementation of appropriate actions to manage the regulated object or production process.

The driver of a car can be considered as an operator of a complex VADS system (Driver.Car.Road.Environment). The efficiency of any control system, including the VADS system, depends on the reliability of the operator, which is determined by the reliability of his work.

A distinction is made between the psychological reliability of the operator, which is determined by the compliance of his psychological qualities with the requirements of the activity being performed, and physiological reliability, which depends on physical data and condition and health.

Structure of the nervous system

The material basis of the psyche is the brain; therefore, knowledge of human physiology, the brain and higher nervous activity is of great importance in understanding the human psyche.

Tasks of the human nervous system

1) Coordination of body organs and physiological systems of the body. 2) Interaction of the organism as an integral system with the environment.

Structure of the nervous system

1) The primary element of the nervous system is the neuron - the nerve cell. Its functions are: conducting nerve impulses from receptors to the central nervous system (CNS); conduction of nerve impulses from the central nervous system to the organs of movement and conduction of nerve impulses from one part of the central nervous system to another. 2) The nervous system is divided into central (brain, diencephalon and spinal cord) and peripheral (nervous system of parts of the entire body and internal organs of a person.

The part of the central and peripheral nervous system that regulates internal organs and parts of the body is called the autonomic
nervous system.
Another part of the nervous system that ensures the interaction of organs with the environment is called
the Animal Nervous System.
13 pages, 6391 words

The importance of environmental stimulation for the development of functional brain systems.

... sneezing, breathing, heartbeat). The importance of environmental stimulation for the development of functional brain systems. A person has his own early maturing set of functional systems, i.e. its systemogenesis. ... he has a breakdown of nervous activity. For young children, even harmless but unfamiliar objects can turn out to be extremely strong stimuli: a new person, thunder, a strong...

Brain structure

The human brain is made up of 25 billion neurons, which make up the gray matter. The brain is covered with membranes: hard, soft and arachnoid (the so-called “cerebrospinal fluid” circulates through its channels, which is cerebrospinal fluid and is a shock absorber that protects the brain from shock).

Finite brain

stretches from the occipital to the frontal bone. It distinguishes two large hemispheres. It differs from other parts of the brain by the presence of a large number of convolutions and grooves.

The hemispheres are divided into lobes (parietal, frontal, occipital, temporal), cortex and subcortex.

The right hemisphere controls the left half of the body, and the left hemisphere controls the right. They complement each other.

Cortex

This is a 3 mm thick superficial layer covering the hemispheres. It consists of vertically oriented nerve cells with processes.

Functions of the cerebral cortex: temporal lobe - hearing and smell; occipital lobe - vision; parietal - touch and taste; frontal - speech, movement, complex thinking.

Each neuron (gray matter) has up to 10,000 contacts with other neurons.

White matter of the brain

- these are nerve fibers. Inside the hemispheres of the brain there are accumulations of gray matter. Its functions are the transmission of information. The telencephalon controls all processes important for human life and our intellectual abilities.

Diencephalon

consists of
the hypothalamus, methothalamus, thalamus and epithalamus.
The thalamus is a mediator in which all received stimuli are sent to the cerebral hemispheres. It is often called the “visual thalamus.” Thanks to it, the body quickly adapts to a changing external environment.

The hypothalamus is a subcortical center in which the regulation of autonomic functions occurs. It regulates wakefulness and sleep, shapes drinking and eating behavior.

hindbrain

consists of the pons located in front and the cerebellum located behind it. The bridge looks like a white thick roller. Our coordination of movements depends on the functioning of the cerebellum.

Midbrain

— it contains the center of the orienting reflex, which ensures the body turns in the direction of a sharp noise.

Medulla

is a continuation of the spinal cord. This brain is responsible for coordination of movement, balance, regulation of metabolism, blood circulation and breathing.

Lecture No. 3

Activities of the operator

1) Psychological analysis of activity; 2) Main characteristics and activities of the operator; 3) Psychological aspects of operator decision-making;

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Goal and objectives, study of the practical labor process

Achieving the main goal is to ensure the effective operation of the scheme - people and equipment. This requires a theoretical and practical basis, study based on a complex of sciences. Engineering psychology is a science that studies the technical characteristics of labor and the labor activity of an employee with the goal of improvement.

To improve the technological side of the work process it is necessary:

• minimize the time required to complete individual labor operations;
• eliminate errors in the labor process;
• reduce the risks associated with the performance of activities;
• maintain efficiency, reduce energy costs during the labor process.

To improve conditions that stimulate normal work activity, it is necessary:

• rational use of space;
• comply with the complexity of the technique and the level of training;
• eliminate harmful environmental factors;
• increase the reliability of mechanisms;
• improve the aesthetic appearance of devices.

In addition to improving production conditions, to stimulate operators it is necessary to improve social conditions and develop positive motivation to work.

The tasks of psychologists who study the specifics of work include theoretical and practical tasks. The theoretical branch deals with the study of man, mental properties, psychophysiological state, and characteristics of work activity. Research is aimed at clarifying the characteristics of workers’ psychological processes, processing information when managing equipment, and studying regulatory functions. The practical branch studies the interaction of man with technology. Its subject is coordination, adaptation of the operator to the units, competent distribution of work functions.

Functional activity levels

The human nervous system and its individual parts can have three levels of functional activity: The first level is a state of relative functional rest

, is characterized by the absence of pronounced manifestations of any activity, but at the same time metabolic processes occur at the level necessary to maintain life, and are ready to react at the right time.
Arousal
is a process of increased activity as a result of exposure to some factors and stimuli on the body.
According to the source, they can be external or internal. Inhibition
is the process of inhibition, the process of weakening or cessation of functional functions of the nervous system, leading to disruption and extinction of connections in the nervous system.
A special form of inhibition is extreme inhibition,
caused by excessive strength of the stimulus. At the same time, excitation in certain centers is maximally enhanced and turns into its opposite - inhibition, which is a kind of protective organism of the nervous system, protecting it from destruction in extreme situations. For a person, the strength of a stimulus is determined not only by its physical characteristics, but also by the degree of significance for that person.