The prevalence of information technology (IT) and widespread use of electronic data storage systems by individuals, corporations, and government branches has prompted investigation into threats to cyber security and data privacy. Within the human factors community, researchers have sought to identify issues related to cyber-attacks and cyber defense and human-centered design. These issues range from placing too much trust in modern technology, to remaining vigilant in the presence of cyber threats such as phishing emails. This study aimed to evaluate trends in cyber security research published in the Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting from 1980 to 2018. This paper reviewed 114 unique articles, identified using keyword terms related to cyber security. Results were organized, analyzed, and graphed based on topic areas, author and funding agency affiliations, and applicable domains. Analyses indicated that cyber security research has grown exponentially in recent years, with nearly 73% of relevant proceedings papers produced since 2010. Gaps in the literature, directions for future research, and emerging issues related to training are also discussed.

The present study was designed to examine the research trends in the literature focusing on Human Factors issues relevant to Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems. As these UAV technologies continue to proliferate with increasing autonomy and supervisory control requirements, it is crucial to evaluate the current and emerging research trends across the generations. This paper reviews the research trends of 228 papers matching our search criteria. The search retained only relevant and complete papers published over the past thirty years (1988-2017) in the Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Results were tabulated, graphed, and discussed based on research categories, topic areas, authors’ affiliation, and sources of funding. Results showed a substantial increase in the number of articles in the last two decades, with most papers driven by academic institutions and military and government agencies.

Two studies were carried out to examine the effects of user handedness and hand dominance on a motor task using Fitts’ law. Study one was designed to validate our previous findings showing differences between left- and right-handed participants who completed a mouse-pointing task using Fitts’ law. Results showed that right-handed participants were significantly faster than their left-handed peers, thereby validating our previous findings. Study two examined the effect of handedness and hand dominance on motor task performance by requiring two groups of left- and right-handed participants perform the motor task using both their dominant and non-dominant hands. Results showed a significant interaction between handedness and hand dominance on task performance. Right-handed participants were again significantly faster than their left-handed peers when both groups were using their dominant hand. However, left-handed participants were significantly faster than their right-handed peers when both groups were using their non-dominant hand. These findings might be attributed to prior training with computer mice designs that do not account for user handedness. Both theoretical and practical implications, as well as directions for future studies are also discussed.

Exhaustion impedes all humans from achieving their goals, be they during experiments or in daily life. The notion of mental resources has provided substantive discourse on attentional failures and operational mishaps. However, without empirical validation, we cannot assess whether the “resource” is an emergent or contrived phenomenon. We must refute the notion that it is an unspoken Law of Resources. In this paper we celebrate the contributions of the resource and issue a long-needed challenge – grounding it in psychophysiological reality. We outline the initial developments of a dynamic neural energetics model towards that goal. The fundamental question we pose is this – can we expand the capacity of resource theory? Emerging methods are discussed to measure energy waves, a more intuitive and testable metaphor. Our theory merges thermodynamic, information-theoretic, neuroscientific, and dynamical systems approaches into a single framework that argues “limitations” stand in paradox with energization methods.