CEA Cognitive Ergonomics & Mental Workload 2

Question 1

Decision fatigue in the workplace is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Deterioration in decision quality after making a large number of decisions over an extended period

Answer

Physical exhaustion that prevents workers from operating machinery safely

Answer

A nutritional deficiency causing impaired judgment on night shifts

Answer

Inability to navigate decision-support software interfaces

Question 2

In cognitive ergonomics, 'chunking' is a strategy that reduces mental workload by:

Accepted Answer

Grouping individual pieces of information into meaningful units that can be processed as single items

Answer

Breaking complex tasks into shorter time intervals with mandatory rest breaks

Answer

Assigning cognitive tasks to automated systems instead of human operators

Answer

Reducing the total number of work tasks assigned to each employee

Question 3

Automation complacency is a cognitive hazard that occurs when:

Accepted Answer

Operators over-rely on automated systems and reduce active monitoring, increasing risk of missing failures

Answer

Workers refuse to adopt new automated equipment due to technophobia

Answer

Automated systems fail due to insufficient maintenance schedules

Answer

Management relies solely on automated safety reports without conducting field audits

Question 4

How does a 'mistake' in Reason's error classification differ from a 'slip'?

Accepted Answer

A mistake involves a flawed plan or intention, whereas a slip involves correct intention but faulty execution

Answer

A mistake is always deliberate, whereas a slip is always accidental

Answer

Mistakes only occur in novice workers, while slips are exclusive to experienced workers

Answer

Mistakes involve physical errors while slips involve cognitive errors only

Question 5

The vigilance decrement phenomenon describes:

Accepted Answer

A decline in detection performance during sustained, monotonous monitoring tasks over time

Answer

A gradual reduction in workplace injury rates following an ergonomics program

Answer

Decreased auditory sensitivity resulting from chronic noise exposure

Answer

Reduced visual acuity experienced under low-luminance working conditions

Question 6

Which design feature best supports error recovery in cognitively demanding control environments?

Accepted Answer

Reversible actions with clear undo or cancel functions that allow correction without serious consequences

Answer

Maximizing information density on displays to provide all data simultaneously

Answer

Removing confirmatory dialogs to speed up operator response times

Answer

Restricting access to system override functions to prevent unauthorized changes

Question 7

Prospective memory in occupational settings refers to:

Accepted Answer

The cognitive function of remembering to perform a planned action at a specific future time or triggering event

Answer

Recalling past incidents accurately for safety investigation reports

Answer

Forward planning of physical workplace layout and ergonomic modifications

Answer

Using predictive analytics software to anticipate future ergonomic risks