Lecture 11 - Task Load and Stress

Question 1

stress definition when it was introduced vs now

Answer 1

the term was introduced in the 1930s and was considered reactions of the human to good situations, eustress and to bad situations, distress
- > today it’s emphasis is primarily on negative conditions

Question 2

task load

Answer 2

the amount, both physical and mental, of stress associated with the demand of a task
- > physical task load: physical stress of movement exerted on the body
- > mental task load: commonly asses by the demands that the associated stressors put on the human mind in terms of stress

Question 3

examples of jobs that use mental capabilities rather than physical work (more mental task loads)

Answer 3

• > pilots
• > medical personel
• > teachers
• > journalists

Question 4

computer adaptation syndrome

Answer 4

• > introduction of computers into office linked to stress felt by large groups of people due to their personal ability to handle the new requirements of computers and the need for technical knowledge

Question 5

mental stress vs mental strain

Answer 5

Mental stress
- > total of all assessable influences impinging upon a human being from external sources and affecting that person mental
Mental strain
- > immediate effect of mental stress within the individual depending on their current condition

Question 6

define mental task workload

Answer 6

there is no agreed-upon definition since it is a multifaceted construct that could be tackled focusing on at least one of three main factors: (i) task demands/task difficulty; (ii) operator workload and strain; (iii) task performance

Question 7

which factors dictate task demands

Answer 7

• > intensity
• > complexity
• > time
• > other measure of difficulty
  *increasing task demands may impact task performance and/or operator workload

Question 8

how may stress effect us at work

Answer 8

• > at work, the intensity of stress and its effects depend on how the individual response to the specific condition of the environment
• > emotional and bodily responses of individuals to the same stressors are different

Question 9

distress can cause______

Answer 9

• > muscle tension leading to pain in the head, neck, back
• > distress may bring about disturbed sleep, GI complains, cardiovascular diseases MSI

Question 10

how can behaviour be affected by stress

Answer 10

• > intensive or sustained stress often changes the ways in which people behave and feel
• > work-related stress of employees can affect organization negatively

Question 11

what is the main cause of stress at work

Answer 11

job stress is primarily a mismatch between the demands and a persons ability to meet them
examples…
- > demand intensity
- > repetitive, monotonous tasks
- > excessive responsibility
- > lack of social support from supervisors and peers

Question 12

Job stress

Answer 12

usually a mismatch between the work demands and the employees ability to meet them

Question 13

workload

Answer 13

general term for stressors

Question 14

physiological stress metrics

Answer 14

• > EEG
• > ECG
• > transcranial doppler sonography
• > eye tracking
• > HR variability

Question 15

psychological stress metrics

Answer 15

• > NASA task load index
• > subjective workload assessment techniques
• > multiple resource questionnaire

Question 16

NASA Task load index

Answer 16

• > subjective workload Ax tool which allows users to perform subjective workload assessments on operators working with various human-machine interface system
• > gold standard for measuring workload across a wide range of applications (mental, physical, temporal demand)

Question 17

NASA TLX derives an overall workload score based on a weighted average of which 6 subscales

Answer 17

• > mental demand
• > physical demand
• > temporal demand
• > performance
• > effort
• > frustration

Question 18

multiple resource questionnaire

Answer 18

• > developed to address the diagnostic limitations of other workload measurements (such as NASA TLX) and consists of 17 items to determine which perceptual and cognitive resources a task involves
• > can be used to identify areas that should be addressed to alleviate overload of specific resources

Question 19

designing to prevent work-related stress

Answer 19

carefully design out excessive dask demands and adverse conditions
- > when ppl complain about overloading, or a boring task, rearrange to their satisfaction
- > listen to workers concers

Question 20

Herzbergs two-factor theory on job satisfaction

Answer 20

assumes that positive CONTENT factors of a job mostly explain satisfaction, while negative CONTEXT factors lead to dissatisfaction

Question 21

satisfaction with ones job can _____

Answer 21

can influence motivation and task performance
- > large difference in individual perceptions of what makes job satisfying or not