Mental Work Load Flashcards
two theoretically well-based approaches and definitions of mental workload
- MWL as viewed in terms of the task requirements as an independent, external variable with which the working subjects have to cope more or less efficiently
- MWL as defined in terms of an interaction between task requirements and human capabilities or resources
was developed within the context of personality environment fit/misfit theories which try to explain interindividually differing responses to identical physical and psychosocial conditions and requirements
requirements resources interaction approach
this approach may explain
individual differences in the patterns of subjective responses to loading requirements and
conditions, for example, in terms of fatigue, monotony, affective aversion, burnout or diseases
requirements resources interaction approach
was developed within those parts of occupational psychology and ergonomics which are predominantly engaged in task design, especially in the design of new and untried future tasks, or so-called prospective task design
task requirements approach
an approach that tries to answer the question of how to design tasks in advance in order
to optimize their later impact on the—often still unknown—employees who will accomplish these
future tasks.
task requirements approach
Common characteristics of both conceptualizations
- describes the input aspects of tasks
- conceptualized in terms of information processing
- Information-processing integrates mental processes, representations, and states
- MWL is a multidimensional characteristic of task requirements
- will have a multidimensional impact
- MWL should not be minimized, but optimized
- must be dealt with in task analysis, task requirement evaluation as well as in corrective and prospective task design.
MWL and its consequences may be roughly categorized into three.
- Underload
- Perfectly Fitted Load
3.Overload
Underload: Boredom, Monotomy ; Overload:
Mental Fatigue
proposed that resource theories might be subdivided into resource volume and resource allocation theories
Wieland-Eckelmann 1992
The amount of available capacity may come from a single source which determines processing
single resource theories
suppose a set of relatively independent processing resources. Thus, performance will depend on the condition whether the same resource or different resources are required simultaneously and concurrently
multiple resource theories
suppose qualitatively changing processing as a function of varying strategies. Depending on the strategies, differing mental processes and representations may be applied for task accomplishment
Resource allocation theories
most often discussed approaches try to assess MWL
- effort assessment
- mental capacity assessment
Effort assessment: scaling procedures ; mental capacity assessment:___
dual task techniques
The mental capacity assessment consists of the dual task techniques and a related data interpretation procedure
performance operating characteristic (POC)