| Abstract: | The RAND Corporation established a laboratory to conduct an interdisciplinary investigation of human factors in man-machine systems. RAND from 1951 to 1954 conducted a number of studies related to an Air Defense Direction Center (radar-site) concerning "a system that not only processes incoming information, but also makes crucial decisions based on interpretations of it." It was possible, on the basis of hypotheses generated and tested in the laboratory, to make some rather detailed predictions about system learning. A somewhat simplified schematic diagram of a system is presented. Various psychological skills important to STP (Systems Training Program) are briefly described. The "rapid growth of automation techniques presents a real challenge for psychologists, guaranteeing a most exciting future for those who care to meet it." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
