James L. Szalma
DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, University of Central Florida
Papers
10
Total Citations
1,281
H-Index
8
About
James L. Szalma is a prominent human factors psychologist whose research sits at the intersection of human-automation interaction, trust, and applied perception. Best known for his rigorous meta-analytic work, Szalma has systematically mapped the psychological foundations of trust in automated and robotic systems — a contribution that has proven enormously influential as autonomous technologies reshape modern life. His 2016 meta-analysis on factors influencing trust in automation has garnered over 700 citations, establishing a foundational framework for understanding how humans form, calibrate, and extend trust toward machines. Building on this, his 2020 sequential meta-analysis on human-robot interaction (208 citations) refined these insights for the emerging field of robotics. Szalma has also explored how personality and individual differences shape collaboration with artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, offering practical guidance for designing effective human-machine teams. As co-editor of *The Cambridge Handbook of Applied Perception Research*, he has contributed to shaping pedagogy in the discipline. His body of work — spanning workload assessment, human-robot teaming, and elaborated models of trust — positions him as a leading voice in preparing both science and society for an increasingly automated future.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1A Meta-Analysis of Factors Influencing the Development of Trust in Automation707 citations · 2016
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- 4How and why humans trust: A meta-analysis and elaborated model100 citations · 2023
- 5The Cambridge Handbook of Applied Perception Research66 citations · 2015
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- 7Enhancing the effectiveness of human-robot teaming with a closed-loop system24 citations · 2017
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