Human Factors in Psychology

Introduction to Human Factors Psychology

What if you had to walk everywhere you go? School, work, stores… you could only go to places close by unless you had a horse. This was a reality for many people before the invention of bikes (1817) and cars (1886). Although there are days when it feels like technology consumes most of our life, it generally makes life easier and better for many people.

What does technology have to do with psychology? Remember, psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes. Part of behavior and mental processes is how these things interact with technology. How humans interact with and use technology is the main topic in the field of human factors psychology (HFP).

Definition of Human Factors Psychology

So, what is human factors psychology?

HFP focuses on questions like:

• How do humans use the tools and technologies provided to them?

• How can we improve those tools and technology for human use?

• How do certain pieces of technology affect human users?

• What new pieces of technology need to be created?

The History of Human Factors Psychology

So, how did Human Factors Psychology come to be? Most fields in psychology have a founder (like Freud as the founder of Psychoanalytic Theory), but no single person is credited as the founder of HFP. The field dates back to World War II (1939-1945) when researchers and innovators needed to ensure the safety of fighter planes. From there, HFP research expanded to all workplaces to ensure the safety of everyone. Any type of job can have hazards, even if they are small ones.

During the 1800s, there was a technological boom that set the stage for HFP. Those inventions may seem basic compared to what we have now, but they laid the foundations for current inventions and pieces of technology.

Specialties in Human Factors Psychology

Human factors psychologists specialize in areas like ergonomics, occupational safety, and the design and creation of technology.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics is best defined as the fit between humans and their working environment. In particular, ergonomics explores how different types of technology change how a person works, and how we can reduce discomfort and increase productivity and safety. The general goal of ergonomists is to help workers complete their tasks as safely, comfortably, and efficiently as possible.

Fig. 1 Standing desk; pexels.com

Have you ever looked at desk chairs or mattresses and seen the word “ergonomic” on the label? Ergonomic desk chairs, mattresses, hand tools, or telephones are designed to fit the human body comfortably. Can you imagine having to sit all day long in a straight, hard, wooden chair that is far too small for you? We often overlook the ergonomics of a product until we use something extremely uncomfortable!

Occupational Safety

Human factors psychologists also specialize in making sure that humans can use technology safely. This is particularly important for large pieces of technology or machinery. Even if a piece of technology can do a certain job well, it may be very unsafe for human use. You can replace technology; human life is precious and fragile and unable to be replaced. Heavy machinery usually includes emergency stop buttons and warning labels in specific locations.

Fig. 2 Heavy machinery; pexels.com

Part of occupational safety is making sure the environment is conducive to using large pieces of machinery. Warehouses, stores, and construction sites must be able to accommodate large pieces of machinery safely (sometimes many of them at once!). Ceiling height, floor materials, loading and unloading docks, and places to park at the end of the day are all aspects of safely using machinery.

Product Design and Creation

Product design and creation are not just about new pieces of technology; this specialty also involves improving pieces of technology already in use. Not every new piece of technology is a success. Most inventors create many failed attempts before they arrive at a successful new product. Once people start using the product, they find ways the product can be improved or even completely redesigned.

Product Testers

An important part of product design and creation is making sure the product works. One way to check the fit between a product and human use is through product testing. Along with doing test runs and experiments, the research team may recruit participants to test the new product before it is released. The participants give the designers feedback about usability and what they like or dislike about the product. In many cases, the product testers get to keep the product!

Examples of Human Factors Psychology

Technology is great, but it has its drawbacks. Not every new piece of technology is a good thing or helpful to humanity. Nevertheless, technology is heavily integrated into our daily lives, and there are positive and negative aspects to HFP and our use of technology.

Strengths of Human Factors Psychology

The study and application of HFP often result in an increase in productivity. Workers that are less concerned about safety because they feel comfortable using different parts of machinery can perform better. Yes, occupational safety is legally required, but some businesses may need to meet more than the minimum legal requirements.

Another positive aspect of HFP is helpful new or improved technologies. A big reason why new technologies are created is to make life easier or simpler. New technologies that benefit workers can save time and use human skills more effectively and creatively.

HFP can help decrease human errors. Humans make mistakes, but technology can help avoid or remove some of these mistakes. Some mistakes are really small, but other mistakes can lead to accidents and even deaths.

Weaknesses of Human Factors Psychology

Many of the positive aspects of HFP also have a negative side. Productivity can also be decreased because of technological advancements. Automation in the workplace creates more time for humans to focus on other tasks, but it can also decrease human motivation and performance. Even though technology can make work faster, many people have lost jobs due to an increase in automation.

HFP can only do so much. No matter how hard we try to remove human errors, there will still be problems. Human mistakes are one of the leading causes of workplace incidences, due to things like lack of expertise or experience, skipping crucial steps, or impaired judgment. Even a well-designed product is susceptible to user errors.

Importance of Human Factors Psychology

In many workplaces, like offices or hospitals, people use computers to store and retrieve data. In factories, people use smart technology to package and ship materials. Many of our jobs and tasks are designed around technology, which makes HFP a crucial field of study!

Human factors psychologists improve working environments, increase effectiveness, support important work operations, and keep everyone safe. By reducing human error and increasing safety, HFP psychologists save many lives. They also help inventors design with users in mind. Ultimately, HFP psychologists study the role of human limitations and strengths in using technology to protect and enhance human resources in the workplace.

Fig. 3 Humans and technology; pexels.com