1.

1B PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS – Make Notes of the Key Words

Human beings vary psychologically in complex ways. Any attempt by designers to classify
people into groups merely results in a statement of broad principles that may or may not be
relevant to the individual. Design permeates every aspect of human experience and data
pertaining to what cannot be seen such as touch, taste, and smell are often expressions of
opinion rather than checkable fact.

The analysis of the human information processing system requires a designer to critically
analyse a range of causes and effects to identify where a potential breakdown could occur
and the effect it may have.

Psychological factor data

Psychological factors include, smell, light, sound, taste, texture and temperature. These

are a significant part of ergonomics and human efficiency and safety can be affected by these
factors.

Light is electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths which the human eye can see and which we perceive as
colours.
Noise or sound is created by alternate compression and decompression of particles of the air. This causes the
air pressure to fall and rise in the form of waves. Frequency (pitch) and intensity (loudness) are the two
characteristics of sound.
Temperature definition, a measure of the warmth or coldness of an object or substance with reference to some
standard value. 

Methods of collecting psychological factor data

 Data Collection through 4 types of measurement scales:
NOMINAL, ORDINAL, INTERVAL AND RATIO - N.O.I.R
 This website and the videos below explain it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL38g06DbSc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arL2qcnQ8y0

o Nominal Scale: This scale only classifies objects into discrete categories, for
example, food groups. Nominal means “by name” and labels are used for the
categories of objects. Nominal scales are very weak, as they do not tell you anything
more than that one object is different from another.

Nomina
l Scale
o Ordinal Scale: As with nominal scales, the labels used in ordinal scales can be words,
symbols, letters or numerals. When numerals are used, they only indicate sequence or
order, for example, ranking someone by placing them in a competition as “third” rather than
by a score—they may have come third with 50% right or with 75%.

Ordinal Scale

o Interval Scale: An interval scale is a more powerful scale, as the intervals or difference
between the points or units are of an equal size, for example, in a temperature scale.
Measurements using an interval scale can be subjected to numerical or quantitative
analysis.

Interval Scale

o Ratio Scale: The difference between a ratio scale and an interval scale is that the zero
point on an interval scale is some arbitrarily agreed value, whereas on a ratio scale it is a
true zero. For example, 0°C has been defined arbitrarily as the freezing temperature of
water, whereas 0 grams is a true zero, that is, no mass.

Ratio Scale
Qualitative versus Quantitative Data
Data in relation to light, smell, sound, taste, temperature and texture as qualitative or
quantitative (ordinal/interval)

o Ordinal (Qualitative) – taste, smell and texture,

Qualitative Data are types of information that have aspects that are unable to be measured, or are found to be
approximations.
Recap - Ordinal Scale: As with nominal scales, the labels used in ordinal scales can be words, symbols,
letters or numerals. When numerals are used, they only indicate sequence or order, for example, ranking
someone by placing them in a competition as “third” rather than by a score—they may have come third with
50% right or with 75%.

o Interval (Quantitative) – sound, temperature and light

Data that can be quantified and verified, and is amenable to statistical manipulation. Quantitative data defines
whereas qualitative data describes.
Interval Scale: An interval scale is a more powerful scale, as the intervals or difference between the points or
units are of an equal size, for example, in a temperature scale. Measurements using an interval scale can be
subjected to numerical or quantitative analysis.

Quantitative data may be used in a design context relating to psychological factors, but
individuals vary in their reaction to the data. For example, one person will find a room
temperature comfortable while another person will find it uncomfortable, though the
temperature is constant.

Human Information Processing Systems

Human information processing system can be represented using a flow chart. Below is a flow
diagram; the arrows represent the flow of information through the system. The boxes
represent functional elements in the processing chain, where information is processed.

Below is scenario 1 where we can apply the human information processing system to a
common task.

Scenario 2
For example, when using a mobile phone to make a telephone call. The input would be the
number to be called. The sensory processes would be the eyes, which would transmit
information to the brain. The brain is the central processing unit, which examines the
information and selects a response coded as a series of nerve impulses transmitted to the
hand and muscles. These are the motor processes, which reconvert the instructions into
actions, that is, outputs.

Activity:

You are driving a car and you see a red traffic light up ahead. Develop a flow chart that
represents of the human information processing system that would occur.

INPUT SENORY CENTRAL MOTOR OUTPUT

PROCESS PROCESS PROCESS

Remove cover below: -

Input – Traffic lights ahead

Sensory process – Red or Green light
Central process – Red light means stop
Motor process – Brain sends signal to muscles in leg/foot to press on brake
Output – Break pressed and car stopped at red light

A Breakdown in the Human Information Processing System

Effects and Reasons

What happened if the information processing system? In the car activity above you would
have (hopefully) concluded that the output would the foot pressing the brake so the car will
stop.

Red Light Crash

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVssEL2jhu8

If there is a break down in the human information processing system then a car crash is a
likely event. Here the few things could have occurred such as, slow reaction time,
stimulus/input as not seen, response/output was not done/slipped/ foot got caught, etc. In
other words, the information inputs may be incompatible with the sensory receptors. At the
central processing stage, the incoming information may be incorrect or no suitable responses
to it are available. The motor output stage may be unable to perform the actions specified by
the central processing unit.
Some reasons are:

 age – too young and maybe they have not learnt the skills (long term memory), too old
maybe forget what to do, or too weak to carry out the task.
 strength – too weak to carry out the task
 skills – do not have the necessary skills yet, may have forgotten the skills, skills
needed are too complex
 health - when mental or physical health is comprised which may lead to not carrying
out the necessary tasks.

Effect of environmental factors

Environmental factors include, sound, temperature, lighting, air quality (pollutants) and smell.

The user responds to different environmental factors, for example, how warm or cold work
environments can affect the performance of an individual. Thermal comfort describes a
person’s psychological state of mind and involves a range of environmental factors: air
temperature, the heat radiating from the Sun, fires and other heat sources, air velocity (still air
makes people feel stuffy, moving air increases heat loss), humidity, and personal factors
(clothing and metabolic rate). Hopefully in an office environment where a number of people
work together, the thermal environment satisfies the majority of the people. Thermal comfort
is not measured by air temperature, but by the number of people complaining of thermal
discomfort. Thermal comfort affects morale and productivity.

Environmental factors can affect different individuals in different ways. Individuals react

differently to sensory stimuli. Efficiency and comfort are affected by such factors.  It
becomes important to optimize environmental factors to maximize workplace performance.
This can be challenging as user responses to environmental factors are different, some
people will find 22 c perfect while for others it may to be cold!

Hot n’ Cold
Alertness
Environmental factors induce different levels of alertness.

 Temperature: too warm and you get sleepy and less alert – too cold and you become
more alert. Next time you are on a long haul flight note the temperature fluctuations while
flying.
 Sound: too loud which can be distracting or even cause harm, high pitched or repetitive
on/off noises also become distracting.
 Lighting: too dim hard to see things need to get close or strains the eyes, natural
versus fluorescent (can affect peoples’ eyes)
 Air quality: excess dust or other pollutants could cause people to find it hard to breathe,
maybe cough, etc. Certain essential or aroma oils are said to improve alertness
 Smell – bad smells will draw ones attention away as would the smell of a hot apple pie.

Perception
Consider (assess) the impact of perception on psychological factors data, in relation to
accuracy and reliability of psychological factor data.

Quantitative data may be used in a design context relating to psychological factors, but
individuals vary in their reaction to the data. For example, one person will find a room
temperature comfortable while another person will find it uncomfortable, though the
temperature is constant.

International Mindedness
The origin of psychology (as a mainly western academic subject) along with recent
neurological insights on a global scale need to be taken into account in applying any
psychological factors to global design problems.

Theory of Knowledge
How might the collection and interpretation of data be affected by the limitations of our sense
perception?

Activity:

Outline psychological human factors data that could be used in the design of a mobile
phone:-

For example, texture, sound, colour and light.

Explain the relevance of using the different rating scales to design contexts.

For example, a comfort rating scale of 1–10 is an ordinal scale.

Print Sample Questions: -

Sample exam questions

Explain how the human information- processing system can be represented by an

information flow diagram.

Students should be able to map and analyse human information-processing systems,

considering inputs, processes (sensory, central and motor) and outputs.

Explain common reasons for breakdown in human information- processing system

Discuss the influence of perception when collecting data relating to psychological factors.

Describe the human information- processing system.

Apply the information flow diagram to particular contexts.

For example, a car driver processes information from the road and the car, and produces
various control responses such as braking or changing gear.

Outline the factors that contribute to thermal comfort in office and other working
environments.

Outline how motor outputs may be inhibited if the physical fit between the person and the
environment is wrong.

Identify the general human factors contributing to accidents:-

 
Categories of factors that cause accidents include management (policies, safety education,
decision centralization), physical environment (noise, temperature, pollutants, trip hazards,
signage), equipment design (controls, visibility, hazards, warnings, guards), the work itself
(boredom and repetitiveness, mental and physical workload, musculoskeletal impacts such
as force, pressure and repetition), social and psychological environment (group norms,
morale), and the worker (ability, alertness, age, fatigue).