Psychology for Human Factors (HFS103)

It is important that human factors practitioners have a strong foundation in the study of human behaviour. This introductory course in psychology provides the theoretical foundations of human functioning in areas such as perception and consciousness, motivation and emotion, personality and individuality, social behavior as well as altered states. It gives student an insightful understanding of the complexities of human relationships in personal, social, and vocational settings. In each topic covered, students are guided to its relevance to human factors studies, for example, how to design better user interfaces through a thorough appreciation of human perception and consciousness or how to design pleasurable consumer products through a better understanding of human emotion.

• Introduction to Psychology and its relevance to Human Factors (Science of Work)
• Foundation: Psychophysics (perception - visual, auditory, olfactory, taste, touch, vestibular, proprioception)
• Foundation: Cognition (attention, memory, fatigue, emotion)
• Foundation: Psychological Representation of the Physical World (decision making and choice, cognitive bias, lighting, layout)
• Foundation: Personality Psychology (disposition, resilience, growth mindset, big five, risk-taking, propensity to trust)
• Foundation: Behavioural Psychology (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, drivers and barriers to behaviour: physical and social environment)
• Foundation: Social Psychology (social identity theory, conformity, aging, working abroad, family)
• Foundation: Industrial/ Organisational Psychology (work motivation, job satisfaction, trust in leadership, team dynamics, organisation culture)
• Trending Topics: Psychological Safety (Inclusion Safety, Learner Safety, Contributor Safety, Challenger Safety)
• Trending Topics: Safety Mindset (safety culture and values, empowerment and accountability, behavioural observation, culture safe survey)
• Trending Topics: Nudging Safe Behaviours (work environment design, options presentation, reinforcement)
• Trending Topics: Mental Health & Wellness (prevalence, values, interventions)

• Define the theories and concepts in psychology.
• Describe the types of psychological problems in various working environment.
• Illustrate potential solutions to simple psychological problems.
• Apply various psychological tests to collect data for analysis.
• Discuss general findings of potential psychological issues in the workplace .
• Explain basic psychological concepts and initiate simple improvements to the work environment.