1.1b Psychological Factors Flashcards
What is the nominal scale?
It is a scale used for labeling variables, where the items in the list have no real relationship with one another
What is the ordinal scale?
It is a scale that lists items in order of importance/ significance. This type of scale usually measures a feeling/ perception along a continuum (no numerical relationship between the values)
What is the interval scale?
It is a scale that represents the order of values and the difference between them, where there is no absolute zero.
What is a ratio scale?
It is a scale that combines aspects of all other quantitative scales; difference between units (interval scale), order of units (ordinal scale), and they have an absolute zero.
What are the methods of collecting psychological data?
Through interviews, surveys, observation and standardized tests
What is the human information processing system (HIPS)
It details how the mind processes and acts upon information. The steps are; input, sensory processes, central processes, motor processes and output
Explain the steps in the human information processing system
Input: is generated or received
Sensory processes: human senses takes in information (touch, sight, smell, sound, taste)
Central processes: the brain processes the information and makes a decision
Motor processes: a physical response is generated by nerves stimulating muscles.
Output: the action is carried out
How can the HIPS system “break down”?
If there is too much input/ stimulus the brain struggles to process the information and therefore an accident/ error/ mistake is more likely to occur
What factors affect how well humans process information?
Age: the user may be too young to know the skills for the task/ too old and forgot how to accomplish the task
Strength: the user may be too weak for the task
Skills: the user may not have learned the skills yet, or the skills may be too complex to do without practice
Health: the user may not have the mental/ physical health to carry out the task
What environmental factors affect how humans process information?
The environmental factors are sound, temperature, lighting, air quality and smell
What should designers understand about environmental factors in terms of design?
Different people react differently to certain environments based on their personal preference (a person may think a room is too cold while another person may think it is perfect)
What do environmental factors affect specifically?
Alertness:
- temperature (too hot= less alert, too cold= more alert)
- sound (loud/ repetitive noises are distracting)
- lighting (too dark/light causes headaches and eyestrain)
- air quality (dusty/ stuffy air can make it difficult to breath)
- smell (bad smells can be distracting/ repulsive)
Perception: people perceive environmental factors differently, therefore even if they can be measured quantitatively the way it affects the user is personal
