Teaching Human Factors through Popular Music: A Series of Human Information Processing Demonstrations

Abstract

Human Information Processing (HIP) is an important component of human factors training and education because challenges of HIP are often the limiting factor in human performance. Demonstrations in which students personally experience the strengths and weaknesses of HIP are an effective pedagogical technique because of the salience of personal experience and the possibility of metacognitive insight. Using popular music as a content source adds an additional benefit because students and trainees of all ages and experience will be familiar with it and it is intrinsically motivating. These demonstrations are also easy and inexpensive to create and deliver. This paper presents a series of demonstrations using popular music that can be used to demonstrate each of the stages of HIP. The paper also describes possible methods and discussion points that can be used during and after the demonstration.