Working in demanding situations that are complex and unpredictable, involving intensive information processing under time pressure, pose special requirements for the cognitive abilities of operators. Measures, support, and training aimed at improving the processing capacity of the operator, mostly focus on the cognitive aspects. However, the magnitude of this capacity and its efficient use, are determined also by other factors as well: e.g., emotion, motivation, activation, and effort. It is argued that these factors may be as important to augment cognition, in particular in situations where fatigue, stress, conflicts, etc., play an important role. This paper presents a framework in which the neglected concept concentration plays a key role. This concept has been chosen because it incorporates the processes (attention, energy mobilization, and motivation) that are crucial in cognitive functioning, in particular under demanding conditions. The framework can be used to elucidate the interplay between these processes and to evaluate the influence of inhibiting factors on cognitive processing, such as fatigue and stress. (Author/publisher)
Abstract