Master of Science in Industrial and Human Factors Engineering (MSIHE) , Wright State University, 2015, Industrial and Human Factors Engineering

In today's world, many business transactions and interactions are conducted cross-culturally. When going to a business meeting, it is essential avoid a major cultural faux pas in order to not offend your business partners. The Cultural Lens model is used to understand the origins of cultural mismatches. An individual must adjust their approach to a situation to create a cultural match. In adjusting this approach, cognitive biases are a potential result in cross-cultural scenarios. We investigate the Mirror Imaging Bias, which has been found to be a common result of a shortcut to decide how to act in a situation. Physiological metrics were used to see if these biases can be detected in a non-invasive manner. It was found that pupil diameter is a reliable indicator of when Mirror Imaging Bias is present. By understanding how individuals process information and are influenced by Mirror Imaging Bias, we can help create applications as well as provide training to help avoid cultural faux pas.

Committee: Mary Fendley Ph.D. (Advisor); Nasser Kashou Ph.D. (Committee Member); Xinhui Zhang Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Psychology; Cognitive Psychology; Engineering; Neurosciences; Physiological Psychology

Master of Science in Engineering (MSEgr), Wright State University, 2014, Industrial and Human Factors Engineering

The Mirror Imaging Bias (MIB) is gaining attention as a prominent quality factor in analysts' performance. MIB is an irrationality in which analysts perceive and process information through the filter of personal experience. As evidenced by notable historical events, the consequences of this bias can be dramatic. A way to understand MIB in humans is sought. How analysts analyze data, are trained, and interact with biases is explored. An experiment testing for the appearance of MIB was designed and completed. Measures from an eye tracker as well as physiological measures were collected. Results show a significant correlation between pupil diameter and the appearance of MIB. There is a significant correlation between response time as well as the number of fixations and the viewpoint of the question. These results support that MIB is used as a shortcut to minimize mental workload in decision making in uncertain situations.

Committee: Mary Fendley Ph.D. (Advisor); Jason Parker Ph.D. (Committee Member); Nasser Kashou Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Psychology; Biomedical Engineering; Cognitive Psychology; Information Systems; Neurosciences; Physiological Psychology