Alphonse Chapanis: pioneer in the application of psychology to engineering design
Richard Pew's profile of Alphonse Chapanis in the APS Observer describes how Chapanis noticed that the landing flaps and landing gear on some wartime bombers had identical switches placed side by side, which pilots confused under stress, contributing to landing and taxiing accidents.
Richard Pew's profile of Alphonse Chapanis in the APS Observer describes how Chapanis noticed that the landing flaps and landing gear on some wartime bombers had identical switches placed side by side, which pilots confused under stress, contributing to landing and taxiing accidents.
Written from the article read 2026-10-11.
What our sources record
Reproduced as it was written when this source was checked, figures and all.
1 April 2010. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/alphonse-chapanis-pioneer-in-the-application-of-psychology-to-engineering-design