Understanding attention: Donald Broadbent and the Cocktail Party Effect

This BBC Mind Changers podcast explores the pioneering work of Donald Broadbent in the study of work design and the role of attention in safety-critical work. Broadbent was the author of the 1958 book Perception and Communication rated the single most influential book in cognitive psychology. He was the first person to apply the computer-inspired information processing model taught in CRM training today, to the study of attention.

This podcast introduces and explains some of Broadbent’s most important work, and includes a dichotic listening experiment for you to try…

Enhancing Flight Deck Resilience

Airline pilot and human factors research scientist Dr Kimberly Perkins shares her latest work, “Enhancing Flight Deck Resilience and Optimizing Risk Mitigation: A Sociotechnical Approach.” This paper explores the flight deck as a sociotechnical system, emphasising the critical role of the cognitive, affective, communicative, and collaborative activities pilots use to manage information, coordinate with their crew, and make informed decisions.

“Organizational Culture and Leadership” by Edgar H. Schein – a review

What shapes the soul of an organization? In his groundbreaking book, Organizational Culture and Leadership, Edgar H. Schein delves into this question, uncovering how culture and leadership are intricately intertwined. Schein asserts that leaders don’t just operate within organizational culture—they actively create, shape, and evolve it. This post unpacks the key insights from this seminal work, explores Schein’s frameworks, and examines their relevance in shaping modern workplaces.

What Pilots Endure: Environmental Stressors Explained

Airline pilots are modern-day explorers, navigating the skies to connect the world. However, their demanding profession comes with unique environmental challenges that can impact both their short-term comfort and long-term health.
In this post, we’ll dive into the specific environmental stressors faced by pilots, their estimated cumulative exposure across different scenarios, and the potential health implications.

Teaming

Business school professor Amy Edmondson, known for her work on psychological safety, explains “teaming,” where people come together quickly (and often temporarily) to solve new, urgent or unusual problems

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