Theoretical and methodological issues in psychophysiological research
other
There is renewed interest in using psychophysiological measures in the workplace. This interest has been stimulated by a host of factors ranging from new measurement technologies to the development of new theoretical approaches. Attempts at using physiological indices before the 1980s were hampered by technical problems: the nonportability of the apparatus and the loss of data due to recording artifacts. Ambulatory equipment and data analysis have progogressed considerably since then. The equipment available in 1999 is small, relatively inexpensive, and user-friendly.
A selected set of variables is chosen to investigate specific effects of workload and of the work environment on the state, efficiency, and well-being of the employee. Different reactivity patterns may be identified on the basis of psychophysiological measures, in response to the demands in the (work) eenvironment. Some reactivity patterns may be associated with efficient behaviour and improved performance, as opposed to other patterns that appear to trigger pathophysiological processes that increase health risks.
The examination of physiological reactivity in laboratory tasks, simulated environments, or real-life settings, has become a goal in itself. For example, heart rate (HR) is measured not only as an index of workload, but also because of the interest in the dynamics of cardiovascular reactivity in demanding conditions. This interest is based on the growing evence that the working environment has a strong impact on well-being and health. Psychophysiological measures may play an important role not only in specifying the conditions that promote efficient and healthy behaviour in the work environment, but also in revealing the mechanisms that mediate between work demands and health.
In this chapter, we address the following questions: Why should we measure physiological variables, when seemingly simple indices, suc as performance measures and subjective ratings, can do the job? What types of results can be expected from psychophysiological studies? What is the relevance of this information to the understanding of workload or workÂhealth relationships? How can this information be used to solve problems or to improve working conditions?
A selected set of variables is chosen to investigate specific effects of workload and of the work environment on the state, efficiency, and well-being of the employee. Different reactivity patterns may be identified on the basis of psychophysiological measures, in response to the demands in the (work) eenvironment. Some reactivity patterns may be associated with efficient behaviour and improved performance, as opposed to other patterns that appear to trigger pathophysiological processes that increase health risks.
The examination of physiological reactivity in laboratory tasks, simulated environments, or real-life settings, has become a goal in itself. For example, heart rate (HR) is measured not only as an index of workload, but also because of the interest in the dynamics of cardiovascular reactivity in demanding conditions. This interest is based on the growing evence that the working environment has a strong impact on well-being and health. Psychophysiological measures may play an important role not only in specifying the conditions that promote efficient and healthy behaviour in the work environment, but also in revealing the mechanisms that mediate between work demands and health.
In this chapter, we address the following questions: Why should we measure physiological variables, when seemingly simple indices, suc as performance measures and subjective ratings, can do the job? What types of results can be expected from psychophysiological studies? What is the relevance of this information to the understanding of workload or workÂhealth relationships? How can this information be used to solve problems or to improve working conditions?
Problemen en mogelijkheden worden besproken voor het gebruik van psychofysiologische methoden in toegepaste situaties
TNO Identifier
9612
Source title
In R.W. Backs & W. Boucsein (Eds.), Engineering psychophysiology: Issues and applications. Chapter 2. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc
Pages
31 - 58
Files
To receive the publication files, please send an e-mail request to TNO Repository.