TOWARD A THEORY OF SITUATION AWARENESS IN DYNAMIC SYSTEMS

This paper presents a theoretical model of situation awareness based on its role in dynamic human decision making in a variety of domains. Situation awareness is presented as a predominant concern in system operation, based on a descriptive view of decision making. The relationship between situation awareness and numerous individual and environmental factors is examined. Among these factors, attention and working memory are listed as critical factors that can limit operators from acquiring and interpreting information from the environment to form situation awareness. Mental models and goal-directed behavior are presented as important mechanisms for overcoming these limits. The impact of design features, workload, stress, system complexity, and automation on operator situation awareness is addressed, and a taxonomy of errors in situation awareness is introduced, based on the model proposed. The model is used to generate design implications for enhancing operator situation awareness and future directions for situation awareness research.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1329271
• Corporate Authors:

  Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

  P.O. Box 1369
  Santa Monica, CA  United States  90406-1369
• Authors:
  • Endsley, M R
• Publication Date: 1995-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 32-64
• Serial:
  • Human Factors
  • Volume: 37
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Sage Publications, Incorporated
  • ISSN: 0018-7208
  • EISSN: 1547-8181
  • Serial URL: http://hfs.sagepub.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alertness; Attention; Automation; Awareness; Behavior; Decision making; Design; Dynamic models; Environmental impacts; Environmental quality; Memory; Operations; Property acquisition; Psychology; Research; Stress (Psychology); Stresses
• Uncontrolled Terms: Acquisition; Design features; Interpretation
• Old TRIS Terms: Behavioral research
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Aviation; Design; Environment; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00681553
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 19 1995 12:00AM