Citation

de Winter JCF. Theor. Issues Ergonomics Sci. 2014; 15(6): 595-614.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/1463922X.2013.856494

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Human factors science has always been concerned with explaining and preventing human error and accidents. In the past 100 years, the field has shifted focus from a person approach to a system approach. In this opinion article, I provide five reasons why this shift is not opportune, and why person models are important for human factors science. I argue that (1) system models lack causal specificity; (2) as technology becomes more reliable, the proportion of accidents caused by human error increases; (3) technological development leads to new forms of human error; (4) scientific advances point to stable individual characteristics as predictors of human error and safety; and (5) in complex tasks, individual differences increase with task experience. Finally, some research recommendations are provided and ethical challenges of person models are brought forward.

Language: en

Keywords

accident proneness; individual differences; person models; system models; technological evolution