Perspectives on the Human Controller: Essays in Honor of Henk G. Stassen Edited by Thomas B. Sheridan & Ton Van Lunteren 1997, 315 pages, $39.95 Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates ISBN 0-8058-2190-2 (pbk.)

Abstract

FORTHELASTfifty years, the field of human performance has been dominated by the study of paradigms (e.g., reaction time, memory search, mental rotation) to such an extent that one sometimes loses sight of the phenomenon of human performance. Henk Stassen's work is a counterexample of this trend. In reviewing Stassen's research program at Delft, this book provides a model for phenomenon-centered research, Sheridan introduces control theory as the strong theoretical framework that served Stassen so well, a key to the success of a phenomenon-centered approach. Stassen did not use control theory as a "Procrustean bed" to which phenomena were forced to conform. Rather, control theory provided a framework for integrating observations and for abstracting principles that could generalize from one problem to another. Chapters in Section A present work directed at the control of body mechanisms, providing multiple perspectives on the phenomenon of upper limb disorders (particularly as related to brachial plexus nerve lesions). These chapters provide examples of phenomenoncentered research at its best. Included are detailed biodynamic models of the shoulder, descriptions of laboratory and field research, descriptions of an elegant design for a prosthetic device, and discussions of diagnosis and treatment. The range of measurement and analysis is impressive and illustrates the commitment to the phenomena (rather than to any particular model). Sections B and C address the other phenomenon of interest to Stassen:human control of complex systems. Section B focuses on the general area of manual control and includes chapters on vehicle control and teleoperation. Section C focuseson supervisory control issues. Most notable in this section is a chapter byMoray that compares and contrasts the way psychologists and control engineers use the construct, mental model. The quality of writing in this book is, at best, mixed. Some chapters read as if they are direct transcriptions of technical reports. The difficulties of writing in a second language are often apparent. Readers will find numerous disfluencies and typographical errors. However, the whole is certainly more than the sum of the parts, as it provides a valuable exemplar of the power of phenomenon-driven research. This book can be a valuable resource for anyone interested in exploring beyond the safe harbors of laboratory paradigms. Lunteren's overview of the Delft research program should be required reading for everyone who plans a career in human factors or ergonomics. For researchers who want to do more than build an impressive vita for those who want to understand the phenomenon of human performance or would like to contribute to the solution of practical problems of design Henk's way is a model to emulate.