Task-Dependent Effects of Automation: The Role of Internal Models in Performance,Workload, and Situational Awareness in a Semi-Automated Cockpit

摘要

The present study investigated the effects of automating different aviation taskson a pilot's ability to regain manual control following automation failure. The investigation employed a version of the Multi-Attribute Task (MAT) battery (Comstock and Arnegard, 1990) which presents subjects three aviation-relevant tasks: A Tracking task, a System Monitoring task, and a Fuel Management task. Specifically, this study examined task-specific effects on performance, workload, and situational awareness of removing the human operator from the control loop for long periods of time and then requiring him/her to suddenly reenter that loop. A hypothesized task distinction was formulated on the basis of the dynamic versus stable qualities of the internal cognitive model guiding the decision-making process within a particular task. This distinction is presented within the context of a theoretical model of human decision-making in complex, semi-automated cockpits. Results indicated task-specific effects of automation on human performance. Furthermore, data regarding task-specific effects of automation on situational awareness were strongly indicative of the hypothesized distinctions.