Barbara D. Adams, Ph.D.
Senior Human Factors Consultant
Applied Psychology
Dr Adams is a social psychologist with a strong background in experimental research and methodology in social issues such as trust, decision-making, attitude formation, stereotypes, and team work. Prior to joining HSI®, Barb conducted research into cultural stereotypes and attitude formation at the University of Waterloo.
Barb leads an HSI® team conducting a program of empirical and theoretical research into the effective development and maintenance of trust in small military teams such as armoured vehicle crews and infantry groups, and its consequences for information sharing and team performance. This work involves interviews, focus groups and team simulator work with a range of operationally experienced military subjects.
Other current or recent projects include: decision-making under stress for difficult moral and ethical issues during military and peace-keeping operations; trust in automation; factors affecting maintenance of team skills; assessment of training simulator effectiveness; and human aspects of network-enabled operations. Barb provides methodological support in applied psychology to other projects.
Barb has a B.A. (Honours) in psychology from Brock University and a Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Waterloo. She has been an active participant in professional conferences, and is a Member of the following: Canadian Psychological Association, the American Psychological Association, the Military Psychology Division of the APA, the Society of Judgement and Decision-Making, Society of Personality and Social Psychology and the Project Management Institute.
