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Why do some products satisfy while others frustrate? What human factors lead to the acceptance and repeated use of new technologies? Designers want their products to be useful, usable, and desirable, organisations want their people to thrive in their work environments, and engineers want their technologies to be functional and safe. This course looks at these and other topics as it examines the science behind why, and how, people think about, experience, and engage with the ‘artificial’ or human-made world. More particularly, students will learn about the specific human factors (e.g., cognitive, emotional, and physical) that shape our behaviour with everything from bleeding-edge technologies to the design of workplaces, transportation, healthcare, AI, and more. Along the way, students will develop foundational knowledge for researching and applying psychological science to a wide range of products and environments. As the demand for human factors expertise in nearly every industry (and in every corner of the workforce) continues to expand, there are a vast array of possibilities open to students, with the skills and knowledge they gain from this course.
The objective of the course is to familiarise students with the discipline of human factors psychology. The course will provide an overview of contemporary issues in human factors psychology, focusing on foundational theories, applications, new developments, and future challenges.Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:Describe and discuss key concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, historical developments, and emerging issues in contemporary human factors psychology (assessment task: pre-class activities, class participation, presentation and handout).Explain and evaluate the diverse applications of human factors psychology across a range of systems, environments, and industries (assessment task: pre-class activities, class participation, presentation and handout, briefing document and audio).Analyse real-world human-systems challenges and apply human factors concepts, insights, and methods to generate evidence-based recommendations and solutions (assessment task: pre-class activities, class participation, presentation and handout, briefing document and audio).Comprehend ethical, theoretical, and methodological issues in modern human factors research and practice, including principles of culturally responsive and inclusive design (assessment task: pre-class activities, class participation, quiz).Communicate human factors concepts, research, and recommendations effectively in written and oral formats, adapting communication style to suit different audiences and contexts (assessment task: class participation, presentation and handout, briefing document and audio).Collaborate effectively in project teams to plan, manage, and deliver professional-quality outputs under constraints such as time pressure, stakeholder needs, and competing priorities (assessment tasks: class participation).
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:
Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award
Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.
Employable, innovative and enterprising
Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.
Biculturally competent and confident
Students will be aware of and understand the nature of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, and its relevance to their area of study and/or their degree.
Engaged with the community
Students will have observed and understood a culture within a community by reflecting on their own performance and experiences within that community.
Globally aware
Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.
Subject to approval of the Head of Department.
PSYC385
Students must attend one activity from each section.
Dwain Allan
There are no required textbooks for this course. Assigned readings for lectures will be provided online via LEARN.
Domestic fee $1,247.00
International Postgraduate fees
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing .