ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the formal history of Human factors/ergonomics (HFE). The development of the computer and the tremendous expansion of computer applications to technology have created a new speciality field for HFE. Technological development begun in World War II continued, raising human performance questions that demanded continuing research. In the meantime, the early roots of engineering psychology were spreading in the aviation psychology research of other medical or life sciences research and development groups. Russian ergonomists have been much influenced by cognitive psychology, philosophy, physiology, and cybernetics. In the Russian conceptual system, one can identify two aspects: a drive toward a continuing effort to adapt or modify the course of the activity to the requirements imposed by the goal; and continuing information reception, processing, and decision making. The work of the Committee on Psychological Problems of Aviation, including examination of aviation recruits, is especially relevant to engineering psychology’s early roots.
