Constructing the Subject: Cognitive Modeling

This chapter presents the reprinted article "Operator monitoring in a complex, dynamic work environment: a qualitative cognitive model based on field observations" by Kim J. Vicente, Randall J. Mumaw, and Emilie M. Roth. The chapter presents a qualitative cognitive model of a nuclear power plant operator's monitoring activities. The final word in the previous sentence is key: one of the most important findings was that monitoring a power plant is anything but passive. Instead, via extensive field observations, Vicente and his colleagues found that the operator engages in a rich set of activities, displaying a diverse cognitive and behavioral repertoire.