Practice Test Geeks(CEA) Certified Ergonomics Associate Practice Test
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Cognitive Ergonomics & Mental Workload Flashcards

7 cards from real CEA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. Cognitive ergonomics is primarily concerned with which aspect of human performance?

    Answer: Mental processes such as perception, memory, and decision-making in work systems

    Cognitive ergonomics addresses mental processes—perception, attention, memory, reasoning, and decision-making—as they relate to human-system interaction.

  2. According to Miller's Law, working memory can hold approximately how many chunks of information at once?

    Answer: 7 ± 2 items

    Miller's Law states working memory capacity is approximately 7 ± 2 chunks, though more recent research suggests the functional limit is closer to 3–4 chunks.

  3. Which NASA-developed scale is the most widely used tool for assessing subjective mental workload?

    Answer: NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX)

    The NASA-TLX is a multidimensional rating procedure that evaluates workload across six subscales including mental demand, temporal demand, effort, and frustration.

  4. Endsley's three-level model of situation awareness (SA) includes perception, comprehension, and:

    Answer: Projection of future status

    Endsley's model defines SA as Level 1 (perception of environmental elements), Level 2 (comprehension of their meaning), and Level 3 (projection of future state).

  5. Inattentional blindness refers to which cognitive phenomenon?

    Answer: Failure to notice an unexpected but visible stimulus when attention is focused elsewhere

    Inattentional blindness occurs when attentional resources are fully allocated to one task, causing clearly visible but unexpected stimuli to go unnoticed.

  6. In Reason's error taxonomy, a 'slip' is best described as:

    Answer: An unintended action where the correct goal exists but execution fails due to distraction or automaticity

    A slip is an action-based error where the intention is correct but execution fails—for example, pressing the wrong button out of habit while intending to press the correct one.

  7. Cognitive load in ergonomics refers to:

    Answer: The total mental effort consumed in working memory while processing information during a task

    Cognitive load is the mental effort required to process and maintain information in working memory; excessive cognitive load degrades performance and increases error probability.