Human Factors & Behavioral Science Flashcards
7 cards from real CPE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Human Factors & Behavioral Science flashcards as text
Wickens' Multiple Resource Theory (MRT) predicts that dual-task interference is GREATEST when two tasks share the same:
Answer: Processing stages, input modalities, and processing codes
MRT holds that tasks compete for the same pools of resources defined by processing stage (perceptual/cognitive/motor), modality (visual/auditory), and processing code (spatial/verbal).
Which principle of error-tolerant design specifically focuses on making the effects of actions reversible?
Answer: Undo capability / reversibility
Providing undo or reversibility allows users to recover from errors without lasting consequences, a core principle of forgiving design.
A study uses NASA-TLX to compare workload between two control room designs. The subscale most relevant to time pressure during emergency response is:
Answer: Temporal Demand
The Temporal Demand subscale of NASA-TLX specifically assesses how rushed or hurried the operator felt, capturing time pressure during task performance.
The 'population stereotype' for the direction of rotation of a control to increase a parameter in North America is:
Answer: Clockwise
In North America, the population stereotype for rotary controls is clockwise rotation to increase a value (e.g., increase volume, temperature).
In Endsley's model of Situation Awareness (SA), loss of SA at Level 2 means the operator fails to:
Answer: Comprehend the meaning of perceived elements relative to goals
Level 2 SA is comprehension—integrating perceived information with task goals to understand what the current situation means.
A human factors engineer recommends adding 'forcing functions' to a medication dispensing system. What does this mean?
Answer: Physically preventing incorrect actions or sequences
Forcing functions are design features that physically or logically prevent an error from being committed, such as keyed connectors that allow only correct connections.
Which cognitive bias leads operators to search for information confirming their initial diagnosis while ignoring disconfirming evidence?
Answer: Confirmation bias
Confirmation bias causes individuals to favor information that supports an existing hypothesis, increasing the risk of fixation error in diagnosis tasks.