In aviation psychology, managing the cognitive workload of pilots is critical for cockpit safety. An ergonomics researcher investigated which visual or auditory alert style on a newly designed primary flight display (PFD) pilots found to be the most cognitively demanding during a simulated emergency.
A sample of 500 pilots (comprising 240 commercial pilots and 260 military pilots) took part in the study. Each participant identified a single alert category that they felt caused the greatest cognitive distraction. The table below displays the results of the study.
Table: Pilot responses identifying the most cognitively demanding alert style
| Flashing red text | High-frequency auditory beeps | Pop-up map overlays | Multiple simultaneous status bars | Low-contrast digital dials | Repetitive master caution lights | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial pilots' responses | 48 | 32 | 54 | 50 | 36 | 20 |
| Military pilots' responses | 52 | 48 | 36 | 44 | 44 | 36 |
Calculate the overall percentage of pilots in this study who reported 'Pop-up map overlays' as being the most cognitively demanding alert style. Show your workings.
23 exam-style questions on OCR A Level Psychology Ergonomics – human factors (Cognitive). Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.