Editorial: Macrocognition: The Science and Engineering of Sociotechnical Work Systems

Frontiers in Psychology

Paul Ward¹ 

关键词: adaptive thinking;    complexity;    expertise;    human performance;    cognition;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00515

学科分类：心理学（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

The increasing complexity of work systems and changes in the nature of workplace technology over the past century have resulted in a substantial shift in the nature of work activities, from those predominated by physical labor toward more cognitively oriented work. Modern work systems have many characteristics that make them cognitively complex: They can be highly interactive; comprised of multiple agents and artifacts; information may be limited, contested, or distributed across space and time; problems can be unexpected and emergent; task goals are frequently ill-defined, conflicting, and dynamic; planning may only be possible at general levels of abstraction or require adaptive solutions; a considerable degree of proficiency or expertise is required; the stakes are often high; and problems usually involve uncertainty, time-constraints, and stress. To complicate matters further, cognition in complex work settings is typically constrained by broader professional, organizational, and institutional practices and policies, which themselves can be a moving target as work systems and organizations adapt to a constantly-changing landscape. These features of cognitive work present significant challenges to scientific methodology and theory, and to subsequent design of reliable work methods and the technologies that shape them.

【 授权许可】

CC BY