What Makes us Talk about Wing Nuts?

Abstract

Critical Psychology is discussed as an historical science of the subject. The confrontation of human and machine is used to differentiate subjects in action from notions of isolated, formal mental mechanisms. An investigation of operators' regulation in a control room reveals issues of how subjects must re-arrange conditions to act more appropriately. The operators do not know everything necessary to act. This means that they must act on the basis of a concrete, varied, and situated understanding of their work. Since the dilemmas of work have no correct solutions, the operators must break rules to follow them and thereby re-arrange conditions. Each worker has his perspective on the problems. The differences are sorted out in conflictual cooperation. This challenges the more mediated aspects of work conditions.