New Paradigms in Ergonomics

The systems in which we work continue to evolve, creating emergent problems and often strengthening intractable issues. In order to remain relevant and impactful, the discipline of ergonomics needs its paradigms to evolve too. The aim of this book is to provide researchers and practitioners with new paradigms in the form of ideas, concepts, theories, methods, practices and values. The chapters take the reader on a journey through underlying theories, new ways to apply those theories and emerging domains in which ergonomics is expected to play a greater role. Readers of this book will be inspired by these new paradigms in ergonomics and seek to push the boundaries even further. The lifeblood of the science depends on continual evolvement and developments to take on the challenges we face in complex sociotechnical systems design and evaluation. Perhaps the most significant take-home message from this book is the demonstration of how theory maps onto practice. As such, the only remaining paradigm shift is for these ideas, concepts, methods and practices to be taken up more widely and the discipline advanced, until the next paradigm shift occurs. The chapters were originally published as a special issue in the journal Ergonomics.

1. Introduction: New paradigms in ergonomics Neville A. Stanton, Paul M. Salmon and Guy H. Walker Theme 1: New paradigms in theories and methods 2. Quantum ergonomics: shifting the paradigm of the systems agenda Guy H. Walker, Paul M. Salmon, Melissa Bedinger and Neville A. Stanton 3.Nonlinear dynamical systems for theory and research in ergonomics Stephen J. Guastello 4. Fitting methods to paradigms: are ergonomics methods fit for systems thinking? Paul M. Salmon, Guy H. Walker, Gemma J. M. Read, Natassia Goode and Neville A. Stanton 5. Quantitative modelling in cognitive ergonomics: predicting signals passed at danger Neville Moray, John Groeger and Neville Stanton 6. Beyond human error taxonomies in assessment of risk in sociotechnical systems: a new paradigm with the EAST ‘broken-links’ approach Neville A. Stanton and Catherine Harvey Theme 2: New paradigms in practice 7. Detection of error-related negativity in complex visual stimuli: a new neuroergonomic arrow in the practitioner’s quiver Ben D. Sawyer, Waldemar Karwowski, Petros Xanthopoulos and P. A. Hancock 8. Towards continuous and real-time attention monitoring at work: reaction time versus brain response Pavle Mijovic, Vanja Kovic, Maarten De Vos, Ivan Macužic, Petar Todorovic, Branislav Jeremic and Ivan Gligorijevic 9. Musculoskeletal disorders as a fatigue failure process: evidence, implications and research needs Sean Gallagher and Mark C. Schall Jr. Theme 3: New paradigms in domains and values 10. The field becomes the laboratory? The impact of the contextual digital footprint on the discipline of E/HF Sarah Sharples and Robert J. Houghton 11. Imposing limits on autonomous systems P. A. Hancock 12. Nature: a new paradigm for well-being and ergonomics Miles Richardson, Marta Maspero, David Golightly, David Sheffield, Vicki Staples and Ryan Lumber

Neville A. Stanton is a Chartered Psychologist, Chartered Ergonomist and Chartered Engineer. He holds the Chair in Human Factors Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and the Environment at the University of Southampton, UK. His research interests include the development and validation of Ergonomics and Human Factors methods. Paul M. Salmon is Professor of Human Factors and Director of the Centre for Human Factors and Sociotechnical Systems at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia. He has a PhD in Human Factors from Brunel University London, UK, and currently holds a prestigious Australian Research Council Future Fellowship. Guy H. Walker is an Associate Professor within the Institute for Infrastructure and Environment at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK. He has a PhD in Human Factors from Brunel University London, UK, is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and is a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Young Academy of Scotland.