Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
25 results found in Human Factors.
- Age-related Differences (Age Effects, Generational Differences)
- The systematic variations in technology use, learning strategies, and task performance that occur across different age groups. Research consistently shows older adults take 1.5 to 2 times longer than …
- Attention Tunneling (Visual Tunneling, Attentional Tunneling, Cognitive Tunneling)
- A phenomenon in which a user concentrates so narrowly on a primary information source - typically a visual overlay, head-up display, or instrument - that they fail to notice relevant events, objects, …
- Background Noise (Ambient noise, Environmental noise)
- The sum of unwanted or competing sound in an environment — traffic, construction, conversation, HVAC systems, weather — that is present alongside a signal of interest. Background noise is characterize…
- Cognitive Cycle (Cognitive Processing Time, Cognitive Response Time)
- In the Model Human Processor framework, the cognitive cycle represents the time required for a person to process perceived information and make a decision about how to respond. A single cognitive cycl…
- Computer Literacy (Digital Literacy, Technology Literacy, ICT Literacy)
- A person's knowledge and ability to use computers and digital technology effectively. In accessibility research, computer literacy is an important variable when studying how different user groups inte…
- Ergonomics (Human factors engineering)
- The scientific discipline concerned with understanding interactions between humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data, and methods to design in or…
- Fovea (Foveal Vision, Fovea Centralis)
- The small, central area of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed vision, covering approximately 1 degree of visual angle. The fovea contains the highest density of cone photoreceptors and provide…
- Gorilla Arm (Gorilla-arm effect, Gorilla arm syndrome)
- A well-documented ergonomic phenomenon in which sustained unsupported arm elevation — typical of mid-air touchscreen, vertical display, or extended reality (XR) gesture interaction — produces rapid sh…
- Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA)
- A structured method for describing and analyzing tasks by breaking them down into goals, sub-goals, and operations in a hierarchical tree structure. Originally developed for industrial and safety-crit…
- Human Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (HFMEA, Human FMEA)
- An adaptation of Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) that focuses specifically on human performance and error. HFMEA systematically examines each step in a process to identify how humans might f…
- Kinesthetics (Kinaesthetics, Kinesthesia, Kinesthetic sense)
- The sense of body position, movement, and muscular effort derived from receptors in muscles, tendons, and joints. Kinesthetics is closely related to — and often used interchangeably with — propriocept…
- Mental Workload (Cognitive Load, Cognitive Workload)
- The amount of cognitive effort and mental resources required to complete a task. In accessibility contexts, mental workload is an important measure of how demanding an interface is to use — an interfa…
- Motor Function Time (Motor Response Time, Motor Cycle Time)
- The time required to execute a physical action such as pressing or releasing a key, clicking a mouse button, or moving a pointing device. In the Model Human Processor, motor function time for able-bod…
- Motor Skills (Motor Abilities, Motor Function)
- The learned abilities to perform movements with accuracy, speed, and coordination. Motor skills are typically divided into gross motor skills (large muscle movements like walking, jumping, balance) an…
- Muscle Fatigue (Motor fatigue)
- A decline in the capacity of a muscle or muscle group to generate force or sustain activity after prolonged or repeated exertion. In human-computer interaction, muscle fatigue is a central concern for…
- Occlusion (Hand Occlusion, Finger Occlusion, Visual Occlusion)
- In the context of touchscreen and pen-based interaction, occlusion refers to the user's hand or finger blocking their view of content on the screen while interacting with it. Occlusion is a significan…
- Overshoot (Cursor Overshoot, Target Overshoot)
- In pointing device interaction, the phenomenon where the cursor travels beyond the intended target before the user can stop it, requiring corrective movements back toward the target. Overshoot is meas…
- Perceptual Cycle (Perceptual Response Time, Perceptual Processing)
- In the Model Human Processor framework, the perceptual cycle is the time required for a person to perceive and register a stimulus from their environment, such as seeing a visual change on screen. The…
- Psychophysics
- Psychophysics is the scientific study of the quantitative relationship between physical stimuli and the sensations and perceptions they produce. Founded in the 19th century, it uses rigorous experimen…
- Satisficing
- A decision-making strategy where users select the first option that appears "good enough" rather than evaluating all possibilities to find the optimal choice. Coined by Herbert Simon, satisficing is c…