complex content, the book is highly
readable, which makes it appropriate
for all levels of researchers, designers,
and students concerned about SA mea-
surement issues.
Scott E. Graham is chief of the U.S. Army
Research Institute's Infantry ForcesResearch
Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. His research
interests focus on developing digital technolo-
gy training methods to enhance small unit
leader decisionmaking.
Human Performance: Cognition,
Stress and Individual Differences
By Gerald Matthews,
D. Roy Davies, Stephen J.
Westerman, & Rob B. Stammers
2000.416 pages. $69.95 (hbk.). $34.95 (pbk.)
Hove. UK: Psychology Press
ISBN 0-415-04406-5 (hbk.)
ISBN 0-415-04407-3 (pbk.)
REVIEWED BY ULLA METZGER
HUMANperformance in the workplace
and daily life is shaped by a variety of
factors. Among the most studied in the
human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) liter-
ature are the capabilities and limitations
of human information processing in
the framework of cognitive psychology.
Stress factors as well as individual
differences and personality are equally
important in shaping human perfor-
mance. However, these factors have
been relatively underrepresented in the
human performance literature, primar-
ily only in the United States. "Energetic"
factors such as arousal and stress have
long been examined in the European
tradition, as exemplified by the cele-
brated books of Donald Broadbent,
particularly his influential Decision and
Stress (1971). In addition, human per-
formance has mostly been eXplained
from the information-processing per-
spective. Biological bases as well as
intentions and strategies that allow
people to respond adaptively to their
environment have been neglected as
explanations for human performance
in applied settings.
This excellent book challenges
readers to broaden their view in order
to elucidate human performance in the
30 ERGONOMICS IN DESIGN.
real world in terms of the factors that Ass;stive Technology on the
are considered influential on perfor- Threshold of a New Millennium
mance as well as the levels of explana- Edited by Christian Buhler
tion chosen. The authors propose the & Harry Knops
framework of performance psychology for
1999. 832 pages. $115.00
the study of human capabilities and Amsterdam: lOS Press
limitations at work and in daily life. ISBN 1-58603-001-9
Performance psychology, with cogni- REVIEWED BY DARYLE GARDNER-BONNEAU
tive psychology at its core, recognizes
the influence of a variety of factors, AsSISTIVEtechnology (AT) is the engi-
such as stress and individual differ- neering discipline that aims to improve
ences on human performance in ap- the quality of life for elderly people
plied settings, and views the human and those with disabilities through the
not only as an information processor design, development, and dissemina-
but also as an intentional agent and tion of tools and technologies that
biological organism. increase accessibility to products and
After defining performance psychol- services of all kinds. This volume com-
ogy, the authors address key subsys- prises 159 of the 200 papers submitted
tems of the cognitive architecture, such for the European Conference for the
as memory and, in greater detail, atten- Advancement of Assistive Technology
tion. The influences of stress factors in Europe (AAATE 99) and is the sixth
volume in the Assistive Technology
such as noise, temperature, fatigue,
Research Series.
health, nutrition, and drugs on perfor-
The book provides broad coverage
mance are discussed. Also investigated
of the field, with major sections devot-
are individual and group differences in
ed to information technology (includ-
abilities, personality and mood, and the
ing the Internet), telecommunications,
effects of aging on human performance.
human-machine interfaces, augmenta-
Most chapters start with classic
tive and alternative communication,
studies and provide a review of the lit-
mobility, robotics, technologies for
erature before outlining contemporary
children and older adults, smart homes
perspectives and the latest research in
and access to the built environment,
the area. The authors give thorough
education, training and service deliv-
overviews of the topics and provide
ery, and outcomes assessment. Many
numerous references and suggestions
papers present design solutions for
for further reading. Although designed specific problems; others present
as an introductory text, the book is an research data concerning new tech-
excellent reference for any HF /E prac- nologies and concepts; and there are
titioner interested in human perfor- also tutorial and overview papers and
mance in applied settings and the many those that introduce new theories and
factors that influence it. Matthews and models or illuminate new issues that
colleagues have done an excellent job have arisen in the assistive technology
of integrating increasingly scattered field.
research information from various For people new to the field of
areas of psychology. assistive technology, the book provides
an excellent opportunity to gain an
Ulla Metzger is a research associateat the appreciation of the scope of the field,
Cognitive Science Laboratory, Catholic to familiarize themselves with the
University of America, Washington, D. C. major European laboratories and assis-
She has conducted research on human per- tive technology companies, and to
formance and workload in the areas of obtain basic information about the
automation, future conceptsof air traffic many technologies and problem
management, and driving. approaches that are being implement-
ed. For those with experience in the
field, the book serves as an update on
SPRING 2001
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