Attention and complacency

Abstract

The problem of complacency is analysed, and it is shown that previous research that claims to show its existence is defective, because the existence of complacency can not be proved unless optimal behaviour is specified as a benchmark. Using gedanken experiments, it is further shown that, in general, not even with optimal monitoring can all signals be detected. Complacency is concerned with attention (monitoring, sampling), not with detection, and there is little evidence for complacent behaviour. To claim that behaviour is complacent is to blame the operator for failure to detect signals. This is undesirable, since so-called complacent behaviour may rather be the fault of poor systems design.