Neuroergonomics: Where the Cortex Hits the Concrete

Neuroergonomics: Where the Cortex Hits the Concrete P. A. Hancock* Department of Psychology, Institute for Simulation and Training, University of Central, Orlando, FL, United States Introduction This present article considers the nature and impact of the vital contributions of Raja Parasuraman and the way in which his brain-child–neuroergonomics–has begun to flourish and blossom in our contemporary world. By unlocking the secrets of brain activity and then finding mechanisms and technologies to elaborate such processes more directly into the world, he has provided us with a clear vision for the future of human-machine interaction. However, it always useful to start by consider antitheses. Thus, I begin my present exploration with the view from radical behaviorism, in some ways the opposite side of the coin from neuroergonomics. To behaviorist researchers, particularly if they are motivated by a utilitarian approach to the world, what happens in the brain may be considered of only passing, rather than vital, interest. This is not to say even the most ardent behaviorist denies the reality of cortical events; for that would be to misrepresent their position (see Watson, 1913; Chiesa, 1994). No, the simple fact is that for some such researchers, if you are able to predict, within a reasonable degree of tolerance, what behavioral sequelae derive from a particular set of environmental cues, then the knowledge of the intervening cortical activity can ap...
Source: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research