The Effects of Stress on Processing Abstract Information

The application of recent technological advances to aircraft cockpit display of flight information has resulted in a variety of displays lacking standardization. The level of abstractness of some flight parameters displayed, especially in head-up displays (HUDs), seems to increase pilot workload by requiring additional steps to obtain meaningful flight information. This paper questions the use of abstract symbology in flight displays, especially in vehicles in which the operators may encounter high levels of workload or mental stress, and briefly reviews an on-going research program in this area.