Emotional Factor Impacts on User Compliance with an Automated Advisor System

Abstract

Social norms and emotional instincts such as “women and children first” have historically guided judgement and decision making processes in crisis situations. This study simulated emotionally charged, environmental factors (school zones) and an expert drone system in a search and rescue scenario to identify patterns of automation utilization. Participants played a mixed design experimental video game, Search and Rescue, where they had to send search and rescue efforts to various zones (Residential, Industrial, School, and Business) in a city devastated by an earthquake. Participants were randomly assigned an automated advisor system, which varied in accuracy, that made recommendations regarding where to send search and rescue teams. Early in the task, participants were more likely to send rescue efforts to school zones, but were not as likely to do so later in the task, suggesting a practice effect. Factors regarding advisor system utilization and application are discussed.