School of Psychological Science

		Dr Mary M. Omodei Senior Lecturer		Phone: +61 3 9479 1747 Fax: +61 3 9479 1956 m.omodei@latrobe.edu.au Room 459 George Singer Building
		B Sc (Qld), Dip.Ed (ACT), PhD (Melbourne), MAPS

I obtained my doctorate in 1993 in the area of cognitive psychology and joined La Trobe University in 1994. My principal research interests are in theoretical and applied cognitive psychology, with a focus on how humans exert decision making control over complex systems.

The decision making control of complex systems involves (a) sequences of decisions, (b) uncertain, multi-variable, time-pressured environments, and (c) multiple decision makers. Decision environments with these characteristics are common. Whenever an organisation is responsible for managing (or controlling) an environment, such complex decision making activity is required. Examples include military combat, military operations other than war (OOTW’s), emergency services (e.g. fire, police, medical, rescue), critical industrial operations (e.g., product recall) and senior management teams.

The main aim of the research is to identify and understand the psychological factors (especially cognitive, personality, and affective factors) which impact on how decisions are made in such important real life contexts. The major outcomes of the research are recommendations concerning the optimal structure of decision making teams, operational procedures, communication networks, and decision aiding tools. As such the research has implications for the design of decision making environments, to take into account not only the physical and physiological characteristics of human participants, but also their psychological characteristics. That is the research can be described as “cognitive engineering”.

The research involves the application of a range of complementary methodologies, both laboratory based and field based. A number of these methodologies have been developed or refined in the School of Psychological Science especially for this research.

These include:

1. The programming development of networked computer-simulated decision scenarios for the controlled study of decision making in laboratory settings. The scenarios developed to date have been based on forest fire fighting, because most research participants can be expected to already have a good understanding of the complexity of bushfire behaviour and how it is controlled.
2. The use of video-based eye tracking for studying what participants pay attention to in their attempts to control complex situations.
3. The development and use of head-mounted video cameras for non-invasively monitoring decision making in field settings (such as firefighters controlling large scale fires)
4. The development and use of more sensitive interview methods for investigating critical decision making incidents (such as occur in accidents or near-miss incidents).
   

	Recent Publications		Complex Decision Research Group
	Postgraduate Research Projects		Grants

Memberships and Associations

Member, Australian Psychological Society
Member, Society for Research in Child Development
Member, Australasian Human Development Association
Member, European Association for Decision Making
Member, Judgment and Decision Making Society
Member, Editorial Board, Fire Command and Management
Member, Editorial Board, International Journal of Cognition, Technology, & Work

Publications 1998-2002

Computer Program
Omodei, M. M., & Wearing, A. J. (1998). Network Fire Chief (Version 1.0) [Computer Program]. La Trobe University

Chapters in Edited Books
Omodei, M. M., Wearing, A. J., & McLennan, J. P., (2000). Relative efficacy of an open versus a restricted communication structure for command and control decision making: An experimental study. In C. McCann & R. Pigeau & (Eds.). The human in command: Exploring the modern military experience. Plenum Publishing Corporation . Pp 369-386.

McLennan, J., Omodei, M. M., & Wearing, A. J. (2001). Cognitive processes of first-on-scene fire officers in command at emergency incidents as an analogue of small-unit command in peace support operations. In P. Essens, A. Vogelaar, E. Tanercan, & D. Winslow (Eds.). The human in command: Peace support operations. Amsterdam Holland: Mets & Schilt

Omodei, M. M., Wearing, A. J., McLennan, J., Elliott, G. C., & Clancy, J. M. (in press) “More is Better? ”: Problems of Self-regulation in Naturalistic Decision Making Settings. In R. Montgomery, R. Lipshitz, & B. Brehmer (Eds.). How professionals make decisions

McLennan, J, Pavlou, O., & Omodei, M. M (in press). Cognitive control processes discriminate between better versus poorer performance by fire ground commanders. In R. Montgomery, R. Lipshitz, & B. Brehmer (Eds.). How professionals make decisions

Clancy, J. M., Elliott, G. C., Ley, T., Omodei, M. M., Wearing, A. J., McLennan, J. P., & Thorsteinsson (in press). Command style and team performance in a dynamic decision making task. In S. Schneider & J. Shanteau (Eds.). Emerging perspectives in decision research.

Omodei, M. M., McLennan, J. P., & Wearing, A. J. (in press). How expertise is applied in real-world dynamic environments: Head mounted video and cued recall as a methodology for studying routines of decision making. In S. Haberstroh (Ed.). The routines of decision making.

Refereed Journal Articles
Omodei, M. M., McLennan, J, & Whitford, P. (1998). Improving decision making in complex natural settings: Using a head-mounted video camera to improve performance of competitive orienteers. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 29, 115-131.

Dickson, J., & McLennan, J, & Omodei, M. M. (2000). Effects of concurrent verbalization on a time pressured dynamic decision task. Journal of General Psychology. 127, 217-228.

McLennan, J., & Omodei, M. M., (2000). Conceptualizing and Measuring Global Interpersonal Mistrust-Trust. Journal of Social Psychology. 140, 279-294

Published Conference Proceedings
Omodei, M. M., Wearing, A. J., & McLennan (2002). Head-Mounted Video and Cued Recall: A Minimally Reactive Methodology for Understanding, Detecting and Preventing Error in the Control of Complex Systems. In C.W. Johnson (Ed.). Proceedings of the 21st European Annual Conference of Human Decision Making and Control. GIST Technical Report G2002.1, Department of Computer Science, University of Glasgow, Scotland

Non-Refereed Journal Articles and Other Publications
A head start to more efficient firefighting – La Trobe Bulletin (June 1999, pp. 7-8), La Trobe University

Camera keeps hot heads cool – The Australian (August 10th, 1999).

Research Projects and Postgraduate student projects

Completed Post Graduate Students
Einar B Thorsteinsson (1999): Effects of social support on cardiovascual and cortisol reactivity: An experimental and field investigation

Tobias Ley (1999). Strategic thinking in distributed dynamic decision making (with Alex Wearing, University of Melbourne & Katrin Borcherding, TU Darmstadt, Germany)

Julia M Clancy (with Alex Wearing, University of Melbourne)

Current
John Glass: Incubation in Problem Solving (with Geoff Cumming)

Thalia Stambas: (with Alex Wearing and Pip Pattison, University of Melbourne)

Other Research Projects

The following unfunded research projects are also being implemented:

1. The role of attentional factors in the development and maintenance of Situation Awareness in complex decision environments. This project combines eye tracking methodology with a computer simulated forest firefighting task.
2. An investigation of a cognitive bias towards the overuse of decision resources. This project uses a complex forest firefighting task in which the number of firefighting appliances are systematically varied.
3. The role of anticipation of rule violation in the decision making of basketball umpires. This project uses the replay of images from a head-mounted video camera to investigate umpires’ decision making processes.

Grants

Australian Research Council Large Project Grant (2000 – 2002). $185,000
Uncertainty, error, and performance in multiperson dynamic decision making tasks (with A. J. Wearing & J. P. McLennan)

Maddock Lonie & Chisholm (Lawyers acting for the Victorian Country Fire Authority) Research Contract $14,000
Human factors issues associated with the Linton Fire/Midlands Fire #15 on Wednesday 2nd December, 1984 (with J. P. McLennan & A. J. Wearing).

Defence Science Technology Organisation Research Contract (2003). $50,000
Information and Situation Awareness: The effect of level of detail of information on situation awareness, workload, and performance in a work group resource management task (with A. J. Wearing)