‘Pseudoautomatization’ in manual control: a simulation study

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Abstract
Within the framework of models of central capacity, automatization (as indicated by decreasing dual-task interference over the course of practice) can be attributed to a change of the performance-resource function, such that performance becomes better for a given amount of capacity, and performance decrements become smaller for a given reduction in capacity. In general, automization is considered as a change in human information processing that makes it less susceptible to disturbances by secondary tasks. By way of simulation it is demonstrated that in user-machine systems ‘pseudoautomatization’ can occur. This is a decline of dual-task interference without any alteration of the secondary-task effects on human information processing such as are thought to underlie automatization. Pseudoautomatization is discussed as a potential fallacy in interpreting system-performance measures and as a means by which human operators potentially immunize user-machine systems against disturbances of human information processing.

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