Understanding the Sociocognitive Process of Construction Workers’ Unsafe Behaviors: An Agent-Based Modeling Approach

Gui Ye, Hongzhe Yue, Jingjing Yang, Hongyang Li, Qingting Xiang, Yuan Fu and Can Cui
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Gui Ye: School of Management Science and Real Estate, Chongqing University; Chongqing 400045, China
Hongzhe Yue: School of Management Science and Real Estate, Chongqing University; Chongqing 400045, China
Jingjing Yang: School of Management Science and Real Estate, Chongqing University; Chongqing 400045, China
Hongyang Li: School of Civil Engineering and Transportation, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
Qingting Xiang: School of Management Science and Real Estate, Chongqing University; Chongqing 400045, China
Yuan Fu: School of Management Science and Real Estate, Chongqing University; Chongqing 400045, China
Can Cui: School of Management Science and Real Estate, Chongqing University; Chongqing 400045, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-33

Abstract: Previous literature has recognized that workers’ unsafe behavior is the combined result of both isolated individual cognitive processes and their interaction with others. Based on the consideration of both individual cognitive factors and social organizational factors, this paper aims to develop an Agent-Based Modeling (ABM) approach to explore construction workers’ sociocognitive processes under the interaction with managers, coworkers, and foremen. The developed model is applied to explore the causes of cognitive failure of construction workers and the influence of social groups and social organizational factors on the workers’ unsafe behavior. The results indicate that (1) workers’ unsafe behaviors are gradually reduced with the interaction with managers, foremen, and workers; (2) the foreman is most influential in reducing workers’ unsafe behaviors, and their demonstration role can hardly be ignored; (3) the failure of sociocognitive process of construction workers is affected by many factors, and cognitive process errors could be corrected under social norms; and (4) among various social organizational factors, social identity has the most obvious effect on reducing workers’ unsafe behaviors, and preventive measures are more effective than reactive measures in reducing workers’ unsafe behaviors.

Keywords: construction worker; unsafe behaviors; sociocognitive process; social organizational factors; social groups; social interaction; agent-based modeling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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