The effect of experience, personality and learning style on health and safety performance and physiologic responses of miners training in a simulator

Abstract

This study examined how learning style, personality type, and experience level influence the performance and heart rate variability (HRV) (quantified by LF:HF ratio and RMSSD) of individuals operating NORCAT’s mining simulator. At Baseline, the twenty participants completed: Kolb’s learning style questionnaire, the 44 item Big Five Inventory Index; and an Operator Experience Questionnaire. After which, participants were fitted with a Zephyr BioHarness to measure HRV. HRV data and performance scores (a computer-based evaluation generated from performance measures taken while the operator is using the simulator) were collected for three simulator trials: 1) first use of the simulator; 2) at the end of the operator training program; and 3) post training during a troubleshooting trial where emergency situations and faults are initiated by the trainer. During the troubleshooting run, reaction time to each fault was also recorded. Results indicated that the personality trait: conscientiousness; was associated with improved performance and increased Root Mean Square of Successive Differences (RMSSD). Moreover, experienced operators showed higher performance scores later in the training process.