View All Items

Title: MODERATORS OF TRUST AND RELIANCE ACROSS MULTIPLE DECISION AIDS.
Creator: Ross, Jennifer, Szalma, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The present work examines whether user's trust of and reliance on automation, were affected by the manipulations of user's perception of the responding agent. These manipulations included agent reliability, agent type, and failure salience. Previous work has shown that automation is not uniformly beneficial; problems can occur because operators fail to rely upon automation appropriately, by either misuse (overreliance) or disuse (underreliance). This is because operators often face...
Show moreThe present work examines whether user's trust of and reliance on automation, were affected by the manipulations of user's perception of the responding agent. These manipulations included agent reliability, agent type, and failure salience. Previous work has shown that automation is not uniformly beneficial; problems can occur because operators fail to rely upon automation appropriately, by either misuse (overreliance) or disuse (underreliance). This is because operators often face difficulties in understanding how to combine their judgment with that of an automated aid. This difficulty is especially prevalent in complex tasks in which users rely heavily on automation to reduce their workload and improve task performance. However, when users rely on automation heavily they often fail to monitor the system effectively (i.e., they lose situation awareness – a form of misuse). However, if an operator realizes a system is imperfect and fails, they may subsequently lose trust in the system leading to underreliance. In the present studies, it was hypothesized that in a dual-aid environment poor reliability in one aid would impact trust and reliance levels in a companion better aid, but that this relationship is dependent upon the perceived aid type and the noticeability of the errors made. Simulations of a computer-based search-and-rescue scenario, employing uninhabited/unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) searching a commercial office building for critical signals, were used to investigate these hypotheses. Results demonstrated that participants were able to adjust their reliance and trust on automated teammates depending on the teammate's actual reliability levels. However, as hypothesized there was a biasing effect among mixed-reliability aids for trust and reliance. That is, when operators worked with two agents of mixed-reliability, their perception of how reliable and to what degree they relied on the aid was effected by the reliability of a current aid. Additionally, the magnitude and direction of how trust and reliance were biased was contingent upon agent type (i.e., 'what' the agents were: two humans, two similar robotic agents, or two dissimilar robot agents). Finally, the type of agent an operator believed they were operating with significantly impacted their temporal reliance (i.e., reliance following an automation failure). Such that, operators were less likely to agree with a recommendation from a human teammate, after that teammate had made an obvious error, than with a robotic agent that had made the same obvious error. These results demonstrate that people are able to distinguish when an agent is performing well but that there are genuine differences in how operators respond to agents of mixed or same abilities and to errors by fellow human observers or robotic teammates. The overall goal of this research was to develop a better understanding how the aforementioned factors affect users' trust in automation so that system interfaces can be designed to facilitate users' calibration of their trust in automated aids, thus leading to improved coordination of human-automation performance. These findings have significant implications to many real-world systems in which human operators monitor the recommendations of multiple other human and/or machine systems.
Show less
Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002077, ucf:47579
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002077

Title: ANTICIPATED TELEHEALTH DEVICE USAGE IN YOUNGER ADULTS.
Creator: Bull, Tyler, Szalma, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Telehealth and telemedicine have revolutionized the healthcare system in terms of access to information and remote medical treatment. While there is a great deal of literature on current perceptions of telehealth care systems, relatively little is known about perceived user needs and acceptance of future telehealth systems. One way to assess future attitudes is to evaluate anticipated usage of telehealth devices through perceived advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, this study seeks to...
Show moreTelehealth and telemedicine have revolutionized the healthcare system in terms of access to information and remote medical treatment. While there is a great deal of literature on current perceptions of telehealth care systems, relatively little is known about perceived user needs and acceptance of future telehealth systems. One way to assess future attitudes is to evaluate anticipated usage of telehealth devices through perceived advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, this study seeks to assess the reliability of a new measure of technology acceptance that capitalizes on human motivation using self-determination theory. An online survey consisted of an original 40-item measure of motivation to use telehealth technology, the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS; Jutai & Day, 1996), questions adapted from Edwards et al. (2014) about perceived advantages and disadvantages of telehealth devices, and open-ended questions about advantages, disadvantages, and concerns of interacting with telehealth devices in the future. The open-ended questions were coded for themes. Results also indicated that there was a high reliability between the MUTT and the PIADS, however the MUTT was slightly more reliable. Significant correlations were found between the overall MUTT and subscales of autonomy, competence, relatedness, and goals, as well as moderate correlations between the subscales of the PIADS (i.e., competence, adaptability, self-esteem) and the MUTT. The results of this research will be discussed further.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFH0004794, ucf:45338
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004794

Title: Configural Displays: The effects of salience on multi-level data extraction.
Creator: Fok, Audrey, Mouloua, Mustapha, Hancock, Peter, Szalma, James, Pharmer, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Displays are a useful tool for users and operators to understand information quickly. Configural displays are effective in supporting focus and divided attention tasks through the use of emergent features. Emergent features are highly salient and are generally used to support divided attention task However, due to the salience of emergent features, a potential performance costs to focused attention tasks arises with configural displays. To address this cost, semantic mapping has been used to...
Show moreDisplays are a useful tool for users and operators to understand information quickly. Configural displays are effective in supporting focus and divided attention tasks through the use of emergent features. Emergent features are highly salient and are generally used to support divided attention task However, due to the salience of emergent features, a potential performance costs to focused attention tasks arises with configural displays. To address this cost, semantic mapping has been used to map salience techniques to information needed by focus attention tasks to increase their saliency (Bennett (&) Walters, 2001; Bennett et al., 2000). Semantic mapping is the process of mapping the domain constrains to the display, which in turn is mapped to the users capabilities and limitations to understand that domain data. The objective of this dissertation is to extend the use of semantic mapping to address potential performance costs of configural displays for hierarchical domains using the scenario-based training (SBT) instructor domain. Two studies were conducted to examine the effects of salience application and salience type on data extraction accuracy and response time performances at low-level, mid-level, high-level, and a remediation task. The first study examined the effects of one salience technique mapped to the display. This study employed a 2(low or mid application) X 3(baseline, color techniques, and alphanumeric techniques) mixed model design in which 63 participants completed 3 blocks of 32 trails each using displays with the salience techniques mapped to either low- or mid-level data. Results from the first study showed that salience type had a significant impact on multi-level data extraction performance, but interactions were not found. The second study changed the manipulation of application and mapped two salience techniques display at the same time, using either the same technique or a combination of different techniques. The same experimental design was utilized and 65 participants completed study 2. Results of study 2 showed that different application resulted in greater improvements of performance and specific salience combinations were found better support data extraction performance. Across study analyses were also performed and revealed that more salience is not better than less salience. Instead it is the specific mapping of salience type and application which improves performance the most. Overall, these findings have major implications for theories of semantic mapping, attention and performance, and display design of hierarchical domains.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005947, ucf:50797
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005947

Title: The Bridging Technique: Crossing Over the Modality Shifting Effect.
Creator: Alicia, Thomas, Mouloua, Mustapha, Hancock, Peter, Szalma, James, Pharmer, James, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Operator responsiveness to critical alarm/alert display systems must rely on faster and safer behavioral responses in order to ensure mission success in complex environments such as the operator station of an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). An important design consideration for effective UAS interfaces is how to map these critical alarm/alert display systems to an appropriate sensory modality (e.g., visual or auditory) (Sarter, 2006). For example, if an alarm is presented during a mission in a...
Show moreOperator responsiveness to critical alarm/alert display systems must rely on faster and safer behavioral responses in order to ensure mission success in complex environments such as the operator station of an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). An important design consideration for effective UAS interfaces is how to map these critical alarm/alert display systems to an appropriate sensory modality (e.g., visual or auditory) (Sarter, 2006). For example, if an alarm is presented during a mission in a modality already highly taxed or overloaded, this can result in increased response time (RT), thereby decreasing operator performance (Wickens, 1976). To overcome this problem, system designers may allow the switching of the alarm display from a highly-taxed to a less-taxed modality (Stanney et al., 2004). However, this modality switch may produce a deleterious effect known as the Modality Shifting Effect (MSE) that erodes the expected performance gain (Spence (&) Driver, 1997). The goal of this research was to empirically examine a technique called bridging which allows the transitioning of a cautionary alarm display from one modality to another while simultaneously counteracting the Modality Shifting Effect.Sixty-four participants were required to complete either a challenging visual or auditory task using a computer-based UAS simulation environment while responding to both visual and auditory alarms. An approach was selected which utilized two 1 (task modality) x 2 (switching technique) ANCOVAs and one 2 (modality) x 2 (technique) ANCOVA, using baseline auditory and visual RT as covariates, to examine differences in alarm response times when the alert modality was changed abruptly or with the bridging technique from a highly loaded sensory channel to an underloaded sensory channel. It was hypothesized that the bridging technique condition would show faster response times for a new unexpected modality versus the abrupt switching condition. The results indicated only a marginal decrease in response times for the auditory alerts and a larger yet not statistically significant effect for the visual alerts; results were also not statistically significant for the analysis collapsed across modality. Findings suggest that there may be some benefit of the bridging technique on performance of alarm responsiveness, but further research is still needed before suggesting generalizable design guidelines for switching modalities which can apply in a variety of complex human-machine systems.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005568, ucf:50283
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005568

Title: A STUDY OF SEMANTIC PROCESSING PERFORMANCE.
Creator: Dever, Daryn A, Szalma, James, Neigel, Alexis, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Examining the role of individual differences, especially variations in human motivation, in vigilance tasks will result in a better understanding of sustained semantic attention and processing, which has, to date, received limited study in the literature (see Fraulini, Hancock, Neigel, Claypoole, & Szalma, 2017; Epling, Russell, & Helton, 2016; Thomson et al., 2016). This present study seeks to understand how individual differences in intrinsic motivation affect performance in a short...
Show moreExamining the role of individual differences, especially variations in human motivation, in vigilance tasks will result in a better understanding of sustained semantic attention and processing, which has, to date, received limited study in the literature (see Fraulini, Hancock, Neigel, Claypoole, & Szalma, 2017; Epling, Russell, & Helton, 2016; Thomson et al., 2016). This present study seeks to understand how individual differences in intrinsic motivation affect performance in a short semantic vigilance task. Performance across two conditions (lure vs. standard condition) were compared in the present study of 79 undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida. The results indicated significant main effects of intrinsic motivation on pre- and post-task stress factors, workload, and performance measures, which included correct detections, false alarms, and response time. Sensitivity and response bias, which are indices of signal detection theory, were also examined in the present study. Intrinsic motivation influenced sensitivity, but not response bias, which was affected by period on watch. The theoretical and practical implications of this research are also discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFH2000245, ucf:45984
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000245

Title: Eye Movements and Spatial Ability: Influences on Thinking During Analogical Problem Solving.
Creator: Schroeder, Bradford, Sims, Valerie, Szalma, James, Neider, Mark, Gill, Michele, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Classic studies have examined the factors that influence the way in which people can solve difficult (")insight(") problems, which require creative solutions. Recent research has shown that guiding one's eye movements in a pattern spatially congruent with the solution improves the likelihood of formulating a spatial solution. The authors in this line of research argued that guiding eye movements in a pattern spatially equivalent to the solution of the problem yields an embodied cognitive...
Show moreClassic studies have examined the factors that influence the way in which people can solve difficult (")insight(") problems, which require creative solutions. Recent research has shown that guiding one's eye movements in a pattern spatially congruent with the solution improves the likelihood of formulating a spatial solution. The authors in this line of research argued that guiding eye movements in a pattern spatially equivalent to the solution of the problem yields an embodied cognitive benefit that aids problem solving. Specifically, guiding eye movements leads to the generation of a mental representation containing perceptual information that helps a problem solver mentally simulate the problem features, increasing likelihood to generate a solution to the problem. However, evidence from a small but critically relevant area of research supports that this embodied effect may be more simply a creativity-priming effect. The proposed research aimed to disentangle these ideas while addressing other research questions of interest: do embodied problem solving benefits transfer to later problem solving? Do individual differences in spatial ability influence how people solve these problems? The present study combined previously established methodologies in problem solving and analogical problem solving to investigate these research questions. Results of the present work tentatively support the embodied priming effect, mediated by a creativity-priming effect that influences problem solving performance. Both effects emerged after manipulating problem solvers' eye movements. There is also modest support for a link between spatial ability and analogical problem solving, but not initial problem solving. These results are interpreted through the lens of embodied cognitive theory, providing tentative support that guiding eye movements can influence reasoning through an enhancement of creativity.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007366, ucf:52079
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007366

Title: Categorical Change: Exploring the Effects of Concept Drift in Human Perceptual Category Learning.
Creator: Wismer, Andrew, Bohil, Corey, Szalma, James, Neider, Mark, Gluck, Kevin, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Categorization is an essential survival skill that we engage in daily. A multitude of behavioral and neuropsychological evidence support the existence of multiple learning systems involved in category learning. COmpetition between Verbal and Implicit Systems (COVIS) theory provides a neuropsychological basis for the existence of an explicit and implicit learning system involved in the learning of category rules. COVIS provides a convincing account of asymptotic performance in human category...
Show moreCategorization is an essential survival skill that we engage in daily. A multitude of behavioral and neuropsychological evidence support the existence of multiple learning systems involved in category learning. COmpetition between Verbal and Implicit Systems (COVIS) theory provides a neuropsychological basis for the existence of an explicit and implicit learning system involved in the learning of category rules. COVIS provides a convincing account of asymptotic performance in human category learning. However, COVIS (-) and virtually all current theories of category learning (-) focus solely on categories and decision environments that remain stationary over time. However, our environment is dynamic, and we often need to adapt our decision making to account for environmental or categorical changes. Machine learning addresses this significant challenge through what is termed concept drift. Concept drift occurs any time a data distribution changes over time. This dissertation draws from two key characteristics of concept drift in machine learning known to impact the performance of learning models, and in-so-doing provides the first systematic exploration of concept drift (i.e., categorical change) in human perceptual category learning. Four experiments, each including one key change parameter (category base-rates, payoffs, or category structure [RB/II]), investigated the effect of rate of change (abrupt, gradual) and awareness of change (foretold or not) on decision criterion adaptation. Critically, Experiments 3 and 4 evaluated differences in categorical adaptation within explicit and implicit category learning tasks to determine if rate and awareness of change moderated any learning system differences. The results of these experiments inform current category learning theory and provide information for machine learning models of decision support in non-stationary environments.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007114, ucf:51947
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007114

Title: Oculomotor Mechanisms Underlying Attentional Costs In Distracted Visual Search.
Creator: Lewis, Joanna, Neider, Mark, Szalma, James, Schmidt, Joseph, Joseph, Dana, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Performance consequences have been long established when humans multitask. This research concerns the impact of distraction on the attentional shifts during a task that underlies many cognitive processes and everyday tasks, searching for a target item among non-target items (e.g., scanning the road for potential collisions). There is evidence that increasing the mental workload by introducing additional tasks influences our ability to search our environment or interferes with processing...
Show morePerformance consequences have been long established when humans multitask. This research concerns the impact of distraction on the attentional shifts during a task that underlies many cognitive processes and everyday tasks, searching for a target item among non-target items (e.g., scanning the road for potential collisions). There is evidence that increasing the mental workload by introducing additional tasks influences our ability to search our environment or interferes with processing fixated information. In the current studies, I aimed to evaluate the changes in gaze behaviors during visual search to evaluate how multitasking impairs our attentional processes. Participants completed a visual search task (search for a target T among distractor L's) while wearing a heads-up display (Google Glass) which displays an unrelated word during the dual task condition, while the control condition required participants to complete the search task without distraction. The changes in oculomotor behavior were observed in four experiments: (1) evaluating general oculomotor behavior during distraction, (2) masking the display onset of the secondary information during an eye movement to reduce the possibility of distraction from the word appearing, (3) removing any occlusion of stimuli from the heads-up display by having no visual overlap of the two tasks, and (4) evaluating whether oculomotor behaviors were similar to previous results when the nature of the distracting task changes in sensory modality. Participants typically took longer to respond when distracted, except for when the word onset was masked and the word was present auditorily. Oculomotor results indicated an increase in fixation durations (occasionally for the initial saccade latency as well) and a reduction of target fixations when participants were distracted by secondary information. These results suggest that secondary visual information can impact how humans search their environment in a fashion which increases their time to respond and impacts selective visual processing.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007039, ucf:51993
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007039

Title: Working Memory Capacity and Executive Attention as Predictors of Distracted Driving.
Creator: Louie, Jennifer, Mouloua, Mustapha, Szalma, James, Smither, Janan, Matthews, Gerald, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The present study empirically examined the effects of working memory capacity (WMC) and executive attention on distracted driving. Study 1 examined whether a Grocery List Task (GLT) distractor would load onto WMC. Forty-three participants completed a series of WMC tasks followed by the GLT. They then completed two driving trials: driving without the GLT and driving while completing the GLT. It was hypothesized that WMC would positively correlate with GLT performance. A bivariate correlation...
Show moreThe present study empirically examined the effects of working memory capacity (WMC) and executive attention on distracted driving. Study 1 examined whether a Grocery List Task (GLT) distractor would load onto WMC. Forty-three participants completed a series of WMC tasks followed by the GLT. They then completed two driving trials: driving without the GLT and driving while completing the GLT. It was hypothesized that WMC would positively correlate with GLT performance. A bivariate correlation indicated that WMC was positively associated with performance on the GLT. Study 2 tested a series of distractor tasks (GLT, Tone Monitoring, and Stop Signal) to examine whether these three distractor tasks were also related to WMC, and if each of the distractor tasks would result in poor driving performance. Eighty-four participants were randomly assigned to the distractor conditions. Results indicated that GLT was related to WMC, but Tone Monitoring was not related to WMC. Also, engaging in each of the three distractor tasks led to significantly poorer driving performance. Study 3 evaluated whether rainy or clear weather conditions would affect the relationship between WMC and distracted driving using the same three distractor tasks (GLT, Tone Monitoring, and Stop Signal) as used in Study 2. Ninety-six participants were randomly assigned to the distractor conditions. Results showed that engaging in GLT while driving led to slower braking response times compared to not engaging in GLT driving while driving. Furthermore, WMC moderated the degree to which distraction impaired performance. The present findings clearly indicate that all three distractor tasks had a deleterious effect on driving performance. Furthermore, this effect of distraction on driving depends on many factors, including the type of distraction, the driving performance measure, and the individual's cognitive capabilities. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed and directions for future research are presented.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007042, ucf:51981
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007042

Title: Do multiple conditions elicit the visual redundant signals effect in simple response times?.
Creator: Mishler, Ada, Neider, Mark, Lighthall, Nichole, Szalma, James, Joseph, Dana, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The redundant signals effect, or redundancy gain, is an increase in human processing efficiency when target redundancy is introduced into a display. An advantage for two visual signals over one has been found in a wide variety of speeded response time tasks, but does not always occur and may be weakened by some task parameters. These disparate results suggest that visual redundancy gain is not a unitary effect, but is instead based on different underlying mechanisms in different tasks. The...
Show moreThe redundant signals effect, or redundancy gain, is an increase in human processing efficiency when target redundancy is introduced into a display. An advantage for two visual signals over one has been found in a wide variety of speeded response time tasks, but does not always occur and may be weakened by some task parameters. These disparate results suggest that visual redundancy gain is not a unitary effect, but is instead based on different underlying mechanisms in different tasks. The current study synthesizes previous theories applied to redundancy gain into the three-conditions hypothesis, which states that visual redundancy gain depends on the presence of at least one of three factors: visual identicalness between multiple targets, familiarity with multiple similar targets, or prepotentiation for multiple different targets. In a series of four simple response time experiments, participants responded to single targets presented to one side of the visual field, or to bilateral targets presented to both sides of the visual field. The first three experiments each explored one condition, the first experiment by comparing identical to non-identical random shapes to examine visual identicalness, the second by comparing familiar to unfamiliar letters to examine familiarity, and the third by comparing previewed with non-previewed random shapes to examine prepotentiation. Finally, the fourth experiment employed letters that varied in familiarity, identicalness, and preview, to examine whether or not the three hypothesized causes have multiplicative effects on redundancy. Results indicated that participants were able to benefit equally from redundancy regardless of identicalness, familiarity, or prepotentiation, but that they did so by ignoring one target in the redundant-target trials. These results suggest that redundancy gain may need to be even further divided into more than three underlying mechanisms, with a serial processing mechanism that can be used for stimuli that are not familiar, prepotentiated, or identical.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006899, ucf:52890
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006899

Title: Subjective measures of implicit categorization learning.
Creator: Hill, Audrey, Bohil, Corey, Neider, Mark, Szalma, James, Rapport, Mark, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The neuropsychological theory known as COVIS (COmpetition between Verbal and Implicit Systems) postulates that distinct brain systems compete during category learning. The explicit system involves conscious hypothesis testing about verbalizable rules, while the implicit system relies on procedural learning of rules that are difficult to verbalize. Specifically from a behavioral approach, COVIS has been supported through demonstrating empirical dissociations between explicit and implicit...
Show moreThe neuropsychological theory known as COVIS (COmpetition between Verbal and Implicit Systems) postulates that distinct brain systems compete during category learning. The explicit system involves conscious hypothesis testing about verbalizable rules, while the implicit system relies on procedural learning of rules that are difficult to verbalize. Specifically from a behavioral approach, COVIS has been supported through demonstrating empirical dissociations between explicit and implicit learning tasks. The current studies were designed to gain deeper understanding of implicit category learning through the implementation of a subjective measure of awareness, Meta d', which until now has not been validated within a COVIS framework. Meta d' is a measure of metacognitive accuracy. This is the ability to assess the accuracy of one's own performance. These three experiments evaluated the use of Meta d' as a valid predictor of task performance within a two-structure perceptual categorization task. Experiment 1 focuses on using Meta d' to parse out dissociations between awareness and performance through the phenomenon of Blind Sight and Blind Insight. Experiment 2 and 3 utilize a motor response mapping disruption to observe predicted decrements to the implicit learning system. Experiment 3 utilizes functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure hemodynamic changes in the Prefrontal Cortex as a function of category structure. Across the 3 experiments, Meta d' in conjunction with decision bound model fits were used to make accurate predictions about the differences in performance throughout implicit and explicit categorization tasks. These collective results indicate that metacognitive accuracy, an implicit structure, was highly sensitive to a whether a person is using the correct rule strategies through the task.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007753, ucf:52376
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007753

Title: A Psychophysical Approach to Standardizing Texture Compression for Virtual Environments.
Creator: Flynn, Jeremy, Szalma, James, Fidopiastis, Cali, Jentsch, Florian, Shah, Mubarak, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Image compression is a technique to reduce overall data size, but its effects on human perception have not been clearly established. The purpose of this effort was to determine the most effective psychophysical method for subjective image quality assessment, and to apply those findings to an objective algorithm. This algorithm was used to identify the minimum level of texture compression noticeable to the human, in order to determine whether compression-induced texture distortion impacted...
Show moreImage compression is a technique to reduce overall data size, but its effects on human perception have not been clearly established. The purpose of this effort was to determine the most effective psychophysical method for subjective image quality assessment, and to apply those findings to an objective algorithm. This algorithm was used to identify the minimum level of texture compression noticeable to the human, in order to determine whether compression-induced texture distortion impacted game-play outcomes. Four experiments tested several hypotheses. The first hypothesis evaluated which of three magnitude estimation (ME) methods (absolute ME, absolute ME plus, or ME with a standard) for image quality assessment was the most reliable. The just noticeable difference (JND) point for textures compression against the Feature Similarity Index for color was determined The second hypothesis tested whether human participants perceived the same amount of distortion differently when textures were presented in three ways: when textures were displayed as flat images; when textures were wrapped around a model; and when textures were wrapped around models and in a virtual environment. The last set of hypotheses examined whether compression affected both subjective (immersion, technology acceptance, usability) and objective (performance) gameplay outcomes. The results were: the absolute magnitude estimation method was the most reliable; no difference was observed in the JND threshold between flat textures and textures placed on models, but textured embedded within the virtual environment were more noticeable than in the other two presentation formats. There were no differences in subjective gameplay outcomes when textures were compressed to below the JND thresholds; and those who played a game with uncompressed textures performed better on in-game tasks than those with the textures compressed, but only on the first in-game day. Practitioners and researchers can use these findings to guide their approaches to texture compression and experimental design.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007178, ucf:52250
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007178

Title: Perceptual Judgment: The Impact of Image Complexity and Training Method on Category Learning.
Creator: Curtis, Michael, Jentsch, Florian, Salas, Eduardo, Szalma, James, Boloni, Ladislau, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The goal of this dissertation was to bridge the gap between perceptual learning theory and training application. Visual perceptual skill has been a vexing topic in training science for decades. In complex task domains, from aviation to medicine, visual perception is critical to task success. Despite this, little, if any, emphasis is dedicated to developing perceptual skills through training. Much of this may be attributed to the perceived inefficiency of perceptual training. Recent applied...
Show moreThe goal of this dissertation was to bridge the gap between perceptual learning theory and training application. Visual perceptual skill has been a vexing topic in training science for decades. In complex task domains, from aviation to medicine, visual perception is critical to task success. Despite this, little, if any, emphasis is dedicated to developing perceptual skills through training. Much of this may be attributed to the perceived inefficiency of perceptual training. Recent applied research in perceptual training with discrimination training, however, holds promise for improved perceptual training efficiency. As with all applied research, it is important to root application in solid theoretical bases. In perceptual learning, the challenge is connecting the basic science to more complex task environments. Using a common aviation task as an applied context, participants were assigned to a perceptual training condition based on variation of image complexity and training type. Following the training, participants were tested for transfer of skill. This was intended to help to ground a potentially useful method of perceptual training in a model category learning, while offering qualitative testing of model fit in increasingly complex visual environments. Two hundred and thirty-one participants completed the computer based training module. Results indicate that predictions of a model of category learning largely extend into more complex training stimuli, suggesting utility of the model in more applied contexts. Although both training method conditions showed improvement across training blocks, the discrimination training condition did not transfer to the post training transfer tasks. Lack of adequate contextual information related to the transfer task in training was attributed to this outcome. Further analysis of the exposure training condition showed that individuals training with simple stimuli performed as well as individuals training on more complex stimuli in a complex transfer task. On the other hand, individuals in the more complex training conditions were less accurate when presented with a simpler representation of the task in transfer. This suggests training benefit to isolating essential task cues from irrelevant information in perceptual judgment tasks. In all, the study provided an informative look at both the theory and application associated with perceptual category learning. Ultimately, this research can help inform future research and training development in domains where perceptual judgment is critical for success.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0004096, ucf:49139
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004096

Title: Comparing Types of Adaptive Automation within a Multi-Tasking Environment.
Creator: Taylor, Grant, Szalma, James, Hancock, Peter, Mouloua, Mustapha, Reinerman, Lauren, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Throughout the many years of research examining the various effects of automation on operator performance, stress, workload, etc., the focus has traditionally been on the level of automation, and the invocation methods used to alter it. The goal of the current study is to instead examine the utilization of various types of automation with the goal of better meeting the operator's cognitive needs, thus improving their performance, workload, and stress. The task, control of a simulated unmanned...
Show moreThroughout the many years of research examining the various effects of automation on operator performance, stress, workload, etc., the focus has traditionally been on the level of automation, and the invocation methods used to alter it. The goal of the current study is to instead examine the utilization of various types of automation with the goal of better meeting the operator's cognitive needs, thus improving their performance, workload, and stress. The task, control of a simulated unmanned robotic system, is designed to specifically stress the operator's visual perception capabilities to a greater degree. Two types of automation are implemented to support the operator's performance of the task: an auditory beep aid intended to support visual perception resources, and a driving aid automating control of the vehicle's navigation, offloading physical action execution resources. Therefore, a comparison can be made between types of automation intended to specifically support the mental dimension that is under the greatest demand (the auditory beep) against those that do not (the driving automation). An additional evaluation is made to determine the benefit of adaptively adjusting the level of each type of automation based on the current level of task demand, as well as the influence of individual differences in personality.Results indicate that the use of the auditory beep aid does improve performance, but also increases Temporal Demand and Effort. Use of driving automation appears to disengage the operator from the task, eliciting a vigilance response. Adaptively altering the level of automation to meet task demands has a mixed effect on performance and workload (reducing both) when the auditory beep automation is used. However, adaptive driving automation is clearly detrimental, causing an increase in workload while decreasing performance. Higher levels of Neuroticism are related to poorer threat detection performance, but personality differences show no indication of moderating the effects of either of the experimental manipulations. The results of this study show that the type of automation implemented within an environment has a considerable impact on the operator, in terms of performance as well as cognitive/emotional state.
Show less
Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004340, ucf:49414
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004340

Title: Gamification of Visual Search in Real World Scenes.
Creator: Hess, Alyssa, Neider, Mark, Szalma, James, Bohil, Corey, Paulson, Daniel, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Gamification, or the application of game-like features in non-game contexts, has been growing in popularity over the last five years. Specifically, the successful gamification of applications (such as Waze, Foursquare, and Fitocracy) has begun a spike in gamification of more complex tasks, such as learning to use AutoCAD or Photoshop. However, much is unknown about the psychological mapping of gamification or how it translates to behavioral outcomes. This dissertation aims to compare three...
Show moreGamification, or the application of game-like features in non-game contexts, has been growing in popularity over the last five years. Specifically, the successful gamification of applications (such as Waze, Foursquare, and Fitocracy) has begun a spike in gamification of more complex tasks, such as learning to use AutoCAD or Photoshop. However, much is unknown about the psychological mapping of gamification or how it translates to behavioral outcomes. This dissertation aims to compare three distinct styles of gamification (avatars, points and feedback, and leaderboards) onto the three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). It will assess behavioral outcomes on a visual search task when gamification styles are used separately, compared against all three styles used in concert. The task chosen is a camouflage visual search task. This task was selected because it is both boring (as indicated by the Flow Short Scale) and difficult (as indicated by previous work). These features make it the ideal task to gamify. Results indicated that only in the full gamification condition was response time significantly faster than in the control condition, or no gamification. However, ANOVA evaluating differences in enjoyment, motivation, and stress indicated differences among the groups, suggesting that gamification may elicit psychological outcomes that may not necessarily manifest into behavioral outcomes. ANCOVA were used to evaluate group differences using relevant survey measures as covariates. These tests indicated differences among groups in all behavioral measures, though these differences were most pronounced in response time measures. Future directions involving gamification based on personality type, as well as suggestions on best practice for gamification in the future are discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006601, ucf:51264
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006601

Title: Who is the best judge of personality: Investigating the role of relationship depth and observational breadth on the accuracy of third-party ratings.
Creator: Tindall, Mitchell, Jentsch, Kimberly, Szalma, James, Wang, Wei, Piccolo, Ronald, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: To date, the vast majority of research regarding personality in IO Psychology has relied on self-report assessments. Despite support for the utility of third-party assessments, IO Psychologists have only just begun extensive research in this area. Connelly and Ones (2010) conducted a meta-analysis that demonstrated that accuracy of third-party ratings improved as intimacy between the judge and the target grew. This remained true with the exception of predicting behavioral criteria, where non...
Show moreTo date, the vast majority of research regarding personality in IO Psychology has relied on self-report assessments. Despite support for the utility of third-party assessments, IO Psychologists have only just begun extensive research in this area. Connelly and Ones (2010) conducted a meta-analysis that demonstrated that accuracy of third-party ratings improved as intimacy between the judge and the target grew. This remained true with the exception of predicting behavioral criteria, where non-intimates maintained superior predictability (Connelly (&) Ones, 2010). This was later contradicted by a recent investigation that found the best predictive validity for third-party assessments when they are taken from personal acquaintances as opposed to work colleagues (Connelly (&) Hulsheger, 2012). The current study is intended to investigate how the depth of the relationship and breadth of behavioral observations differentially moderate the relationship between third-party personality assessments and accuracy criteria (i.e., self-other overlap, discriminant validity and behavior). Results indicate that both depth and breadth impact accuracy criteria and they do so differentially based on trait visibility and evaluativeness. These findings will be discussed along with practical implications and limitations of the following research.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0006014, ucf:51007
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006014

Title: Investigating the universality and comprehensive ability of measures to assess the state of workload.
Creator: Abich, Julian, Reinerman, Lauren, Lackey, Stephanie, Szalma, James, Taylor, Grant, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Measures of workload have been developed on the basis of the various definitions, some are designed to capture the multi-dimensional aspects of a unitary resource pool (Kahneman, 1973) while others are developed on the basis of multiple resource theory (Wickens, 2002). Although many theory based workload measures exist, others have often been constructed to serve the purpose of specific experimental tasks. As a result, it is likely that not every workload measure is reliable and valid for all...
Show moreMeasures of workload have been developed on the basis of the various definitions, some are designed to capture the multi-dimensional aspects of a unitary resource pool (Kahneman, 1973) while others are developed on the basis of multiple resource theory (Wickens, 2002). Although many theory based workload measures exist, others have often been constructed to serve the purpose of specific experimental tasks. As a result, it is likely that not every workload measure is reliable and valid for all tasks, much less each domain. To date, no single measure, systematically tested across experimental tasks, domains, and other measures is considered a universal measure of workload. Most researchers would argue that multiple measures from various categories should be applied to a given task to comprehensively assess workload. The goal for Study 1 to establish task load manipulations for two theoretically different tasks that induce distinct levels of workload assessed by both subjective and performance measures was successful. The results of the subjective responses support standardization and validation of the tasks and demands of that task for investigating workload. After investigating the use of subjective and objective measures of workload to identify a universal and comprehensive measure or set of measures, based on Study 2, it can only be concluded that not one or a set of measures exists. Arguably, it is not to say that one will never be conceived and developed, but at this time, one does not reside in the psychometric catalog. Instead, it appears that a more suitable approach is to customize a set of workload measures based on the task. The novel approach of assessing the sensitivity and comprehensive ability of conjointly utilizing subjective, performance, and physiological workload measures for theoretically different tasks within the same domain contributes to the theory by laying the foundation for improving methodology for researching workload. The applicable contribution of this project is a stepping-stone towards developing complex profiles of workload for use in closed-loop systems, such as human-robot team interaction. Identifying the best combination of workload measures enables human factors practitioners, trainers, and task designers to improve methodology and evaluation of system designs, training requirements, and personnel selection.
Show less
Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0005119, ucf:50675
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005119

Title: Transparency in human-agent teaming and its effect on complacent behavior.
Creator: Wright, Julia, Hancock, Peter, Szalma, James, Jentsch, Florian, Chen, Jessie, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study examined how transparency of an intelligent agent's reasoning affected complacent behavior in a route selection task in a simulated environment. Also examined was how the information available to the operator affected those results.In two experiments, participants supervised a three-vehicle convoy as it traversed a simulated environment and re-routed the convoy when needed with the assistance of an intelligent agent, RoboLeader. Participants were randomly assigned to an Agent...
Show moreThis study examined how transparency of an intelligent agent's reasoning affected complacent behavior in a route selection task in a simulated environment. Also examined was how the information available to the operator affected those results.In two experiments, participants supervised a three-vehicle convoy as it traversed a simulated environment and re-routed the convoy when needed with the assistance of an intelligent agent, RoboLeader. Participants were randomly assigned to an Agent Reasoning Transparency condition. Participants received communications from a commander confirming either the presence or absence of activity in the area. They also received information regarding potential events along their route via icons that appeared on a map displaying the convoy route and surrounding area. Participants in Experiment 1 (low information setting) received information about their current route only; they did not receive any information about the suggested alternate route. Participants in Experiment 2 (high information setting) received information about both their current route and the agent recommended an alternative route. In the first experiment, access to agent reasoning was found to be an effective deterrent to complacent behavior when the operator has limited information about their task environment. However, the addition of information that created ambiguity for the operator encouraged complacency, resulting in reduced performance and poorer trust calibration. Agent reasoning did not increase response time or workload and appeared to have improved performance on the secondary task. These findings align with studies that have shown ambiguous information can increase workload and encourage complacency, as such, caution should be exercised when considering how transparent to make agent reasoning and what information should be included.In the second experiment, access to agent reasoning was found to have little effect on complacent behavior when the operator had complete information about the task environment. However, the addition of information that created ambiguity for the operator appeared to encourage complacency, as indicated by reduced performance and shorter decision times. Agent reasoning transparency did not increase overall workload, and operators reported higher satisfaction with their performance and reduced mental demand. Access to agent reasoning did not improve operators' secondary task performance, situation awareness, or operator trust. However, when agent reasoning transparency included ambiguous information complacent behavior was again encouraged. Unlike the first experiment, there were notable differences in complacent behavior, performance, operator trust, and situation awareness due to individual difference factors. As such, these findings would suggest that when the operator has complete information regarding their task environment, access to agent reasoning may be beneficial, but not dramatically so. However, individual difference factors will greatly influence performance outcomes. The amount of information the operator has regarding the task environment has a profound effect on the proper use of the agent. Increased environmental information resulted in more rejections of the agent recommendation regardless of the transparency of agent reasoning. The addition of agent reasoning transparency appeared to be effective at keeping the operator engaged, while complacent behavior appeared to be encouraged both when agent reasoning was either not transparent or so transparent as to become ambiguous. Even so, operators reported lower trust and usability for the agent than when environmental information was limited. Situation awareness (SA2) scores were also higher in the high information environment when agent reasoning was either not transparent or so transparent as to become ambiguous, compared to the low information environment. However, when a moderate amount of agent reasoning was available to the operator, the amount of information available to the operator had no effect on the operators' complacent behavior, subjective trust, or SA. These findings indicate that some negative outcomes resulting from the incongruous transparency of agent reasoning may be mitigated by increasing the information the operator has regarding the task environment.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006422, ucf:51469
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006422

Title: The Effects of Tactile Displays on the Perception of Target Distance.
Creator: White, Timothy, Hancock, Peter, Mouloua, Mustapha, Szalma, James, Rupert, Angus, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Because vital information can be missed by Soldiers in combat environments that tax the eyes and the ears, it is imperative that alternative techniques be investigated to determine their potential in relaying this information in an effective way. This research investigated the use of a tactile display for providing distance and azimuth information about enemy targets. In a series of three experiments, participants were asked to engage enemy targets while utilizing cues that provided location...
Show moreBecause vital information can be missed by Soldiers in combat environments that tax the eyes and the ears, it is imperative that alternative techniques be investigated to determine their potential in relaying this information in an effective way. This research investigated the use of a tactile display for providing distance and azimuth information about enemy targets. In a series of three experiments, participants were asked to engage enemy targets while utilizing cues that provided location information. In Experiment 1, two tactile cueing techniques (i.e., varying intensity and varying pulse rate) and three auditory cueing techniques (i.e., non-spatial speech, varying frequency of 3-D tones, and varying pulse rate of 3-D tones) were used to provide distance and azimuth information about enemy targets. Findings indicated that more participants preferred the tactile pulse cue and the non-spatial speech cue. There were no significant differences in performance among the tactile and the auditory cues, respectively. However, both the tactile cue types resulted in better performance and lower mental workload than the three auditory cue types. In Experiment 2, performance was investigated among the preferred tactile pulse cue and the non-spatial speech cue as well as a tactile direction only cue (i.e., no distance information), a visual cue, and a no cueing control. Findings indicated that both the tactile cue types resulted in better performance and lower mental workload than the other cue conditions. Experiment 3, was a multimodal investigation in which performance was investigated among combinations of the non-spatial speech, visual, and tactile pulse cues employed in Experiment 2. Findings indicated that cue combinations that included the tactile pulse cue resulted in better performance and lower mental workload than the cue combination without the tactile pulse cue. Overall, the findings support the notion of employing tactile displays as a communication means to provide azimuth and distance information to Soldiers about enemy targets, either as a unimodal cue or in concert with other cue types.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006418, ucf:51450
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006418

Title: Individual Differences in Trust Toward Robotic Assistants.
Creator: Sanders, Tracy, Hancock, Peter, Mouloua, Mustapha, Szalma, James, Behal, Aman, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This work on trust in human-robot interaction describes a series of three experiments from which a series of predictive models are developed. Previous work in trust and robotics has examined HRI components related to robots extensively, but there has been little research to quantify the influence of individual differences in trust on HRI. The present work seeks to fill that void by measuring individual differences across a variety of conditions, including differences in robot characteristics...
Show moreThis work on trust in human-robot interaction describes a series of three experiments from which a series of predictive models are developed. Previous work in trust and robotics has examined HRI components related to robots extensively, but there has been little research to quantify the influence of individual differences in trust on HRI. The present work seeks to fill that void by measuring individual differences across a variety of conditions, including differences in robot characteristics and environments. The models produced indicate that the main individual factors predicting trust in robotics include pre-existing attitudes towards robots, interpersonal trust, and personality traits.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006843, ucf:51776
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006843

Vigilance (5)	+ -
automation (4)	+ -
human-robot interaction (3)	+ -
workload (3)	+ -
COVIS (2)	+ -

Cognition (2)	+ -
Cueing (2)	+ -
Fuzzy Signal Detection Theory (2)	+ -
Individual Differences (2)	+ -
Multimodal (2)	+ -
Performance (2)	+ -
Spatial Ability (2)	+ -
Stress (2)	+ -
Sustained Attention (2)	+ -
UAV (2)	+ -
Workload (2)	+ -
category learning (2)	+ -
decision making (2)	+ -
eye tracking (2)	+ -
individual differences (2)	+ -
motivation (2)	+ -
multiple resource theory (2)	+ -
trust (2)	+ -
Absolution Magnitude Estimation (1)	+ -
Analogical Problem Solving (1)	+ -
Automation (1)	+ -
Compression (1)	+ -
Configural Displays (1)	+ -
Conscientiousness (1)	+ -
Creative Thinking (1)	+ -

ETD Collection (32)	+ -
Honors Collection (2)	+ -

Szalma, James (34)	+ -
University of Central Florida (34)	+ -
Hancock, Peter (14)	+ -
Mouloua, Mustapha (11)	+ -
Reinerman, Lauren (8)	+ -

Matthews, Gerald (7)	+ -
Jentsch, Florian (6)	+ -
Neider, Mark (6)	+ -
Bohil, Corey (5)	+ -
Sims, Valerie (4)	+ -
Joseph, Dana (3)	+ -
Funke, Gregory (2)	+ -
Jentsch, Kimberly (2)	+ -
Lackey, Stephanie (2)	+ -
Pharmer, James (2)	+ -
Taylor, Grant (2)	+ -
Abich, Julian (1)	+ -
Alicia, Thomas (1)	+ -
Behal, Aman (1)	+ -
Ben-Zeev, Avi (1)	+ -
Boloni, Ladislau (1)	+ -
Bull, Tyler (1)	+ -
Chen, Jessie (1)	+ -
Chin, Matthew (1)	+ -
Claypoole, Victoria (1)	+ -
Curtis, Michael (1)	+ -
Dever, Daryn A (1)	+ -
Dewar, Alexis (1)	+ -
Fidopiastis, Cali (1)	+ -
Flynn, Jeremy (1)	+ -

Search In

Pages

Pages

Sort Results By:

Narrow results by:

Topical Subject

Collection

Type of Resource

Language

Creator

Format

Owner