ABSTRACT
The history of a discipline should logically begin with the conceptual structure (CS) of the discipline, which is the assumption on which the discipline depends. That Human factors/ergonomics (HFE) is a behavioral science is unquestionably true. If one examines the two major candidates as predecessor sciences, psychology and engineering, it is immediately apparent that the human is the immediate focus of psychology; technology is the immediate focus of engineering. The human-technological relationship, which is the unique characteristic of HFE, logically requires research to apply its results because technology is made manifest by application. In HFE, these elements are as follows: an HFE CS, which includes all other HFE elements; HFE principles generally accepted by professionals; unresolved problems that are recognized as problems; knowledge of facts and methods; HFE professionals, including their skills; and the operational environment in which HFE functions.
