Different Levels Of Task Complexity Research Articles

Optimizing Human Performance to Enhance Safety: A Case Study in an Automotive Plant

Human factors play a relevant role in the dynamic work environments of the manufacturing sector in terms of production efficiency, safety, and sustainable performance. This is particularly relevant in assembly lines where humans are widely employed alongside automated and robotic agents. In this situation, operators’ ability to adapt to different levels of task complexity and variability in each workstation has a strong impact on the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the overall production process. This paper presents an application of a theoretical and empirical method used to assess the matching of different workers to various workstations based on a quantified comparison between the workload associated with the tasks and the human capability of the workers that can rotate among them. The approach allowed for the development of an algorithm designed to operationalise indicators for workload and task complexity requirements, considering the skills and capabilities of individual operators. This led to the creation of human performance (HP) indices. The HP indices were utilized to ensure a good match between requirements and capabilities, aiming to minimise the probability of human error and injuries. The developed and customised model demonstrated encouraging results in the specific case studies where it was applied but also offers a generalizable approach that can extend to other contexts and situations where job rotations can benefit from effectively matching operators to suitable task requirements.

Impact of Leader’s State of Core Self-Evaluation on Task Complexity: A Quantitative Analysis

This study aims to explore the association between a leader's State of Core Self-Evaluation and the complexity of tasks assigned to them. Previous research on this topic has established a strong foundation for the conceptual framework and hypotheses used in this study. A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing an adapted questionnaire to gather data from 141 organizational leaders holding various positions in the banking sector. Statistical analysis of the data demonstrates that a leader's core self-evaluation is positively linked to task complexity. This implies that when leaders believe they possess the necessary abilities and skills to handle a task, their cognitive skills improve, leading to efficient task completion. Conversely, when leaders perceive a task as complex, they may exhibit avoidance behaviour and refrain from attempting to complete the task. These findings are useful in assessing leaders' performance under different levels of task complexity, particularly in a demanding work environment. Policymakers can also benefit from this research in understanding what triggers leader behaviour when task complexity increases. The results of this study align with previous research, indicating that a leader's State of Core Self-Evaluation and task complexity are crucial considerations in the field of management.

Why increasing the number of raters only helps sometimes: Reliability and validity of peer assessment across tasks of different complexity

Number of raters is theoretically central to peer assessment reliability and validity, yet rarely studied. Further, requiring each student to assess more peers’ documents both increases the number of evaluations per document but also assessor workload, which can decline performance. Moreover, task complexity is likely a moderating factor, influencing both workload and validity. This study examined whether changing the number of required peer assessments per student / number of raters per document affected peer assessment reliability and validity for tasks at different levels of task complexity. 181 students completed and provided peer assessments for tasks at three levels of task complexity: low complexity (dictation), medium complexity (oral imitation), and high complexity (writing). Adequate validity of peer assessments was observed for all three task complexities at low reviewing loads. However, the impacts of increasing reviewing load varied by reliability vs. validity outcomes and by task complexity.

The Influence of Personality Traits in Human‐Humanoid Robot Interaction

AbstractWith the advancement of science and technology, humanoid robots have been gradually adopted in human society. Given the human‐like appearance, the perceived personality of a humanoid robot can affect humans' general perceptions of the robotic agent, and even task performance. However, limited research pays attention to examining how a humanoid robot's non‐verbal cues characterize its personality traits. To solve this gap, this research aims to investigate how to use humanoid robots’ non‐verbal features (textual and gestural information) to develop different kinds of personality attributes, and how these personality characteristics affect human‐robot interaction. A total of 255 participants were recruited for this research, including pilot tests and two rounds of lab studies examining different levels of task complexity. The empirical results reveal the developed gestural cues allow a humanoid robot to distinguishably convey extrovert, ambivert, and introvert personality traits, where the perceived traits significantly affect user intentions to interact with the humanoid robot.

Levels of Automation for a Mobile Robot Teleoperated by a Caregiver

Caregivers in eldercare can benefit from telepresence robots that allow them to perform a variety of tasks remotely. In order for such robots to be operated effectively and efficiently by non-technical users, it is important to examine if and how the robotic system’s level of automation (LOA) impacts their performance. The objective of this work was to develop suitable LOA modes for a mobile robotic telepresence (MRP) system for eldercare and assess their influence on users’ performance, workload, awareness of the environment, and usability at two different levels of task complexity. For this purpose, two LOA modes were implemented on the MRP platform: assisted teleoperation (low LOA mode) and autonomous navigation (high LOA mode). The system was evaluated in a user study with 20 participants, who, in the role of the caregiver, navigated the robot through a home-like environment to perform control and perception tasks. Results revealed that performance improved in the high LOA when task complexity was low. However, when task complexity increased, lower LOA improved performance. This opposite trend was also observed in the results for workload and situation awareness. We discuss the results in terms of the LOAs’ impact on users’ attitude towards automation and implications on usability.

Adaptation of the boundary system in growing firms: an agent-based computational study on the role of complexity and search strategy

The boundary system of a firm is intended to set constraints to the behaviour of organisational participants and, by this, to affect decision-making in the direction of the firm’s overall objective. In growing firms, the boundary system is subject to a particular tension: balancing the search for new opportunities and innovation with behavioural constraints to deal with increasing size and intra-organisational complexity. Against this background, the paper studies the adaptation of the boundary system in growing firms. For this, an agent-based simulation based on the framework of NK fitness landscapes is employed which is a rather new approach in the domain of management control systems. The study controls for different levels of task complexity and for different styles in firms’ search for new opportunities in terms of exploitative, explorative or ambidextrous search strategies. The results suggest that the level of task complexity subtly interferes with the search strategy employed in respect of the emerging boundaries. In particular, results support the conjecture that growing task complexity leads to more coordination via hierarchy. However, the search strategy employed shapes the predominance of boundaries compared to less constraining modes of coordination granting higher levels of autonomy to subordinates.

Age-Related Changes in Postural Control in Physically Inactive Older Women.

The maintenance of postural control is influenced by the complexity of a given task. Tasks that require greater attention and cognitive involvement increase the risk of falls among older adults. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the adaptation of the postural control system to different levels of task complexity in physically inactive young and older women. A cross-sectional study was conducted with adult women classified as physically inactive based on the results of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The participants were 27 young (20-30 years of age) and 27 older (60-80 years of age) women. Sway velocity of the center of pressure in the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions was calculated using a force plate under 6 conditions: standing directly on the force plate or on a foam placed over the force plate, eyes open or closed, and dual-task complexity with and without the foam. A 2-way analysis of variance revealed that sway velocity increased in both groups when the task conditions were altered. The older women exhibited significantly greater sway velocity compared with the young women on all tasks. However, the patterns of postural control adaptation to the different levels of complexity were similar among all participants. In this study, the adaption of the postural control system to different levels of task complexity did not differ between physically inactive young and physically inactive older women. However, the physically inactive older women exhibited greater sway velocity compared with the young women.

Diseño de oficinas en el Mediterráneo. La importancia del bienestar, la salud y el rendimiento de los usuarios

Estudios previos han investigado la influencia de la calidad del ambiente interior (CAI) de las oficinas en el bienestar, salud y rendimiento de los empleados. Sin embargo, no parecen haberse explorado explícitamente cuáles son las condiciones ambientales apropiadas para los diferentes patrones de trabajo que conviven en estos espacios. Este artículo presenta los resultados de un estudio empírico, basado en mediciones sincronizadas de diferentes parámetros CAI (i.e., ruido, iluminación y temperatura), y el bienestar, la salud y el rendimiento de 71 empleados ubicados en doce espacios de oficinas de la Comunidad Valenciana durante tres periodos, considerando invierno y verano. Estos resultados referentes al primer invierno monitorizado, sugieren la existencia de diferentes parámetros óptimos asociados a diferentes niveles de complejidad de la tarea para el clima mediterráneo; y abren nuevas vías de investigación para establecer un modelo de Oficinas Inteligentes y Sostenibles (SSO) y desarrollar herramientas de apoyo al diseño y la gestión de las mismas.

Emergence of Task Formation in Organizations: Balancing Units' Competence and Capacity

This paper studies the emergence of task formation under conditions of limited knowledge about the complexity of the problem to be solved by an organization. Task formation is a key issue in organizational theory and the emergence of task formation is of particular interest when the complexity of the overall problem to be solved is not known in advance, since, for example, an organization is newly founded or has gone through an external shock. The paper employs an agent-based simulation based on the framework of NK fitness landscapes and controls for different levels of task complexity and for different coordination modes. In the simulations, artificial organizations are observed while searching for higher levels of organizational performance by two intertwined adaptive processes: short-termed search for superior solutions to the organizations' task and, in mid term, learning-based adaptation of task formation. The results suggest that the emerging task formations vary with the complexity of the underlying problem and, thereby, the balance between units' scope of competence and the organizational capacity for problem-solving is affected. For decomposable problems, task formations emerge which reflect the nature of the underlying problem; for non-decomposable structures, task formations with a broader scope of units' competence emerge. Furthermore, results indicate that, particularly for non-decomposable problems, the coordination mode employed in an organization subtly interferes with the emergence of task formation.

Cognitive fatigue: A Time-based Resource-sharing account

Cognitive Fatigue (CF) is an important confound impacting cognitive performance. How CF is triggered and what are the features that make a cognitive effort perceived as exhausting remain unclear. In the theoretical framework of the Time-based Resource-sharing (TBRS) model (Barrouillet et al., 2004), we hypothesized that CF is an outcome of increased cognitive load due to constrained time to process ongoing cognitive demands. We tested this cognitive load-related CF hypothesis across 2 experiments manipulating both task complexity and cognitive load induced by the processing time interval. To do so, we used the TloadDback paradigm, a working memory dual task in which high and low cognitive load levels can be individually adjusted. In Experiment 1, participants were administered a high cognitive load (HCL, short processing time interval) and a low cognitive load (LCL, large processing time interval) conditions while complexity of the task was kept constant (1-back dual task). In Experiment 2, two tasks featuring different levels of complexity were both administered at the individual's maximal processing speed capacity for each task (i.e., short processing time interval). Results disclosed higher CF in the HCL than in the LCL condition in Experiment 1. On the contrary, in Experiment 2 similar levels of CF were obtained for different levels of task complexity when processing time interval was individually adjusted to induce a HCL condition. Altogether, our results indicate that processing time-related cognitive load eventually leads to the subjective feeling of CF, and to a decrease in alertness. In this framework, we propose that the development of CF can be envisioned as the result of sustained cognitive demands irrespective of task complexity.

The effects of using peer, self and teacher-assessment on Iranian EFL learners' writing ability at three levels of task complexity

In the present study, the effects of using peer-, self-, and teacher-assessment on nurturing students’ accuracy in writing skill were analyzed and furthermore, the researchers intended to perform the study at three levels of task complexity (simple, medium and complex), to find out whether being engaged in more complex tasks will help students improve accuracy in writing. This study was performed based on a framework for task design proposed by Robinson (2001, 2003, 2005, & 2007). To fulfill the purpose of this study, 81 (48 female and 33 male) upper-intermediate EFL learners of Iranmehr language institutes were chosen among a total number of 117 by means of a Nelson English Language Proficiency Test as the homogeneity test. Afterwards they were divided into three groups of Teacher Assessment (control group), Peer- and Self- Assessment (as experimental groups). After a pre-test, the students were exposed to some training for writing at three different levels of task complexity. Each student was assessed based on the group s/he was placed in using a rating scale in peer, and self-assessment groups. Then the post-test was administered and the gathered data was analyzed. The results indicated that although all three methods of assessment led to the students’ progress, however, Self-Assessment method was the most effective method and Teacher and Peer were the second and third respectively. Furthermore, although a rise in the complexity level led to increment in results consistently, the increment in the second level was much higher than the third one which was contributable to less concentration in the third level.

Augmented Reality-Based Manual Assembly Support With Visual Features for Different Degrees of Difficulty

This research investigates different visual features for augmented reality (AR)–based assembly instructions. Since the beginning of AR research, one of its most popular application areas has been manual assembly assistance. A typical AR assembly application indicates the necessary manual assembly operations by generating visual representations of parts that are spatially registered with, and superimposed on, a video representation of the physical product to be assembled. Research in this area indicates the advantages of this type of assembly instruction presentation. This research investigates different types of visual features for different assembly operations. The hypothesis is that in order to gain an advantage from AR, the visual features used to explain a particular assembly operation must correspond to its relative difficulty level. The final goal is to associate different types of visual features to different levels of task complexity. A user study has been conducted in order to compare different visual features at different operation complexity levels. The results support the hypothesis.

Parcellation of the cingulate cortex at rest and during tasks: a meta-analytic clustering and experimental study

Anatomical, morphological, and histological data have consistently shown that the cingulate cortex can be divided into four main regions. However, less is known about parcellations of the cingulate cortex when involved in active tasks. Here, we aimed at comparing how the pattern of clusterization of the cingulate cortex changes across different levels of task complexity. We parcellated the cingulate cortex using the results of a meta-analytic study and of three experimental studies. The experimental studies, which included two active tasks and a resting state protocol, were used to control the results obtained with the meta-analytic parcellation. We explored the meta-analytic parcellation by applying a meta-analytic clustering (MaC) to papers retrieved from the BrainMap database. The MaC is a meta-analytic connectivity driven parcellation technique recently developed by our group which allowed us to parcellate the cingulate cortex on the basis of its pattern of co-activations during active tasks. The MaC results indicated that the cingulate cortex can be parcellated into three clusters. These clusters covered different percentages of the cingulate parenchyma and had a different density of foci, with the first cluster being more densely connected. The control experiments showed different clusterization results, suggesting that the co-activations of the cingulate cortex are highly dependent on the task that is tested. Our results highlight the importance of the cingulate cortex as a hub, which modifies its pattern of co-activations depending on the task requests and on the level of task complexity. The neurobiological meaning of these results is discussed.

Plasticity of human spatial cognition: Spatial language and cognition covary across cultures

The present paper explores cross-cultural variation in spatial cognition by comparing spatial reconstruction tasks by Dutch and Namibian elementary school children. These two communities differ in the way they predominantly express spatial relations in language. Four experiments investigate cognitive strategy preferences across different levels of task-complexity and instruction. Data show a correlation between dominant linguistic spatial frames of reference and performance patterns in non-linguistic spatial memory tasks. This correlation is shown to be stable across an increase of complexity in the spatial array. When instructed to use their respective non-habitual cognitive strategy, participants were not easily able to switch between strategies and their attempts to do so impaired their performance. These results indicate a difference not only in preference but also in competence and suggest that spatial language and non-linguistic preferences and competences in spatial cognition are systematically aligned across human populations.

Over-selectivity as a learned response

An experiment investigated the effects of different levels of task complexity in pre-training on over-selectivity in a subsequent match-to-sample (MTS) task. Twenty human participants were divided into two groups; exposed either to a 3-element, or a 9-element, compound stimulus as a sample during MTS training. After the completion of training, both groups were tested on an MTS task using a novel 6-element compound sample stimulus. The level of over-selectivity at test was influenced by the training. Specifically, the group exposed to a more complex (9-element) training task displayed higher levels of over-selectivity at test than the group with a less complex training task. The results suggest that over-selectivity may be a learned response to complex situations, and are discussed with respect to theories and treatments for over-selectivity.

Stress, energy and psychosocial conditions in different types of call centres

To identify risk indicators for high stress and low mental energy as well as to describe psychosocial working conditions at different types of call centres. 1183 operators from 28 call centres in Sweden, both external and internal, with different levels of task complexity, ownership and geographical location. A cross sectional questionnaire study. The stress level was moderately high and the energy level fairly high. Stress levels tended to be lower and psychosocial conditions better with increasing level of task complexity. Fourteen per cent of the operators were in a state of high stress/low energy ("worn out") and 47% in high stress/high energy ("committed under pressure"). Operators in a state of low stress/high energy ("committed without pressure") were most likely to report a better health status. High stress and lack of energy was mainly associated with time pressure, low decision latitude, and lack of social and supervisor support. Time pressure in combination with lack of support and influence should be seen as a potential high risk situation for the development of a "worn-out" state among call centre operators. Management should make use of this knowledge in order to promote a long lasting efficient and healthy call centre work.

Task complexity and different decision criteria for online service acceptance: A comparison of two e-government compliance service domains

Inspired by ever evolving information technologies and the myriad of successful business cases that reap the benefit of new technologies, many governments around the world have jumped on the bandwagon of electronic government (e-Gov). However, there has been little academic research regarding the types and conditions of e-Gov services that are acceptable to the public. This paper synthesizes a model of e-Gov compliance services acceptance by critically integrating prior research along with the distinctive characteristics of the online government services context. The study posits that different levels of task complexity involved in various e-Gov compliance processes can lead citizens to use different decision criteria and empirically examines the differing acceptance decision patterns of potential e-Government service users in two compliance service domains. The results reveal that citizens do adopt different decision criteria for different levels of task complexity, suggesting that functional usefulness of e-Gov services becomes a more important criterion for online services that involve difficult tasks. In contrast, the service provider's competence in online operations becomes a more important factor for simple tasks. Several other findings and future research directions are also discussed.

Audit judgment performance: assessing the effect of performance incentives, effort and task complexity

Purpose – This study examines the mediating effect of effort on the relationship between performance incentives and audit judgment performance under different levels of task complexity.

New alternative methods of analyzing human behavior in cued target acquisition.

Target acquisition tasks in natural environments are often augmented by cuing systems that advise human observers during the decision process. With present technological limitations, cuing systems are imperfect, so the question arises whether cuing aids should be implemented under all conditions. We examined target acquisition performance under different levels of task complexity and cuing system reliability. We introduce here two new methods to help define observer behavior trends in cued target acquisition: a quantitative measure of observer search behavior in a temporal sense and a measure of the extent of observer reliance on the cue. We found that observer reliance on the cue correlated with task difficulty and the perceived reliability of the cue. Cuing was generally helpful in complex tasks, whereas cuing reduced performance in easy tasks. Consequently, cuing systems should be implemented only when the task is difficult enough to warrant the intrusion of a cue into the task. Actual or potential applications of this research include the design and implementation of imperfect automated aids dealing with augmented reality.

Use of job aid to promote systematic search under different levels of task complexity

AbstractJob aids of various kinds have improved visual‐inspection performance. In particular, these job aids include a dynamic pointer that traces a systematic scan path across a search field. The efficacy of this specific job aid, however, has only been verified under a limited set of conditions. Moreover, the effectiveness of this job aid is a function of the speed of the pointer. Thus, it remains to be determined what pointer speeds will yield the best performances under a wide range of conditions. These conditions are defined here by four of the following task‐complexity factors: background density, fault rate, target conspicuity, and fault mix; the performance measure used is search accuracy. In general, increasing either the speed of the cursor or task complexity degraded accuracy, and the optimal pointer speed was specific to the conditions. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.