The psychology of ship architecture and design

Abstract

This chapter aims to provide an insight into how ship design can have an impact on the psychology and behaviour of the ship’s crew. As such, the psychology of ship architecture/design refers to how ships are designed to support the physiological processes and the associated cognitive functions of their users. Ships are however almost exclusively designed by members of the engineering discipline. We advocate that there is room for improvement in the psychology of ship design by incorporating psychological factors into the shared knowledge base, design practice, individual and social characteristics and behaviour of these designers. The chapter goes on to suggest that in order to improve on the psychology of ship design, the required knowledge and methodology made available to ship designers needs to be reworked-translated-to more convincingly and operationally be relevant to this target group. Thus transformed, this knowledge may help to provide an enhanced working environment for seafarers, in terms of work safety, effectiveness, efficiency, satisfaction, cognitive workload and other crucial factors that exist in the interplay between humans and their working environment. Considering that seafaring is one of the few professions living in their working environment for extended periods of time, such transformed knowledge, and the subsequent skilful application of the psychology of ship design, could positively impact on the interaction between the crew and their living quarters. The ship designer has a decisive impact on such qualities as comfort, privacy, noise, vibration and heat, factors which eventually have a significant bearing on the performance of the individual crew members as well as team performance.