The effects of phychological load and speed on tractor operator error

✍ Scribed by J.V. Sinden; W.J. Becker; W.D. Shoup

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1985
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 212 KB
• Volume: 16
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0003-6870
• DOI: 10.1016/0003-6870(85)90006-7

✦ Synopsis

Sixteen tractor operators made a total of 64 runs through a tractor driving course designed to measure operator performance in a simulated field operation. The number of tasks the operator was required to perform was held constant while speed was varied between 3.2 and 12.9 km/h (2 and 8 mile/h). However, the psychological load was greater at the row end. The number of steering errors was highly correlated with the speed, r = 0.720, p > 0.0001. The steering error rate was not evenly distributed throughout the course, but was significantly higher at the end of the rows as the tractor entered or exited. This research on speed-load theory as it applies to complex tractor-machinery operation indicates that the number of steering errors an operator makes is directly related to speed and psychological load.