In our latest piece on human factors, we’ve previously explored organisational and job factors. Now, let’s focus on individual factors.
Every person is unique, shaped by a mix of physical, psychological, and socio-cultural influences. These personal characteristics significantly impact behaviour, serving as either strengths or weaknesses depending on the situation.
Negative traits can often be mitigated through ergonomic design. Meanwhile, training can modify skills and attitudes, enhancing them. However, aspects like personality are generally seen as immutable.
The table below lists various individual factors that influence behaviour, and we discuss some of these in more detail below the table.
| Physical | Psychological | Socio-cultural |
| · Gender
· Age · Physical abilities · Physique · Health state |
· Personality traits
· Motivation · Attitudes · Perceptions · Mental abilities |
· Family background
· Religion · Socioeconomic status · Education · Peer pressure/work culture |
Attitude An attitude reflects how much an individual likes or dislikes something, which could be a person, place, thing, or event. Attitudes consist of thoughts, feelings, and the tendency to act in certain ways. Feedback and peer influence can modify attitudes.
Personality Personality comprises a person’s characteristic ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving. It emerges from within and tends to stay consistent over time. Personality influences actions and shapes relationships and social interactions.
Training and Development Training involves structured efforts to enhance learning through practice and instruction, focusing on practical skills relevant to a job. It can also be developmental, aiming for long-term career growth.
Motivation Motivation is the drive that directs and sustains behaviour towards goals. It is crucial at work, especially when employees understand and relate to their objectives, which should be realistic and rewarding.
Perception Perception is how we make sense of the world by organising and interpreting sensory information. This process can be affected by numerous factors like illness, disabilities, or environmental distractions, influencing how information is processed and acted upon.
Risk Perception Research has identified several factors that shape how individuals perceive risks. These include the level of control they feel, the familiarity with the risk, and their personal vulnerability. For instance, the perception of risks can vary significantly if the consequences are immediate versus distant.
Psychological Time and Risk Warnings about long-term risks, such as those linking smoking to lung cancer, often fail because the effects are not immediate. Conversely, immediate dangers like a toxic leak prompt quick action.
Familiarity “Familiarity breeds contempt” holds true in risk assessment, where people tend to downplay familiar risks and exaggerate unfamiliar ones.
Vulnerability Some individuals, especially young men, often feel invulnerable, which can lead to risk-taking behaviours. This ‘unrealistic optimism’ suggests harmful effects will happen to others, not themselves.
Framing and Numerical Representations How risks are presented can affect behaviour significantly. Negative framing (focusing on losses or costs) tends to have a stronger impact. Also, many struggle with understanding statistical probabilities, requiring risks to be framed qualitatively for clearer understanding.
Risky Situations vs. Risky Individuals Individual differences and situational factors both contribute to risk-taking. Some theories suggest people have ‘risk thermostats’ that maintain a consistent level of acceptable risk, regardless of safety measures.
