Human and machine-induced social stress in complex work environments: Effects on performance and subjective state

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Occupational Psychology
• Workplace Automation

Background:

• Technological advancements are increasing machine-induced social stress in the workplace.
• Understanding the impact of this stress on operators is crucial for future automation.
• Previous research has not extensively compared human versus machine-induced social stress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effects of human-induced versus machine-induced social stress.
• To investigate the impact on operator task performance (primary and secondary).
• To assess the influence on subjective states, including self-esteem, mood, and justice.

Main Methods:

• A high-fidelity simulation of a complex work environment was used.
• Ninety participants underwent extensive training before the study.
• Social stress was induced via negative feedback and ostracism, delivered by either a human or a machine.

Main Results:

• Social stress, whether human or machine-induced, did not significantly affect task performance, affect, or state self-esteem.
• Machine-induced and human-induced social stress demonstrated largely similar effects.
• Human-induced social stress uniquely impaired participants' sense of perceived justice.

Conclusions:

• Automation introducing machine-induced social stress may not negatively impact operator performance or mood.
• The impairment of perceived justice by human interaction warrants consideration in automation design.
• Further research is needed to explore the nuances of machine-induced social stress in automated workplaces.