The research explores the direct and indirect effects of varying cognitive and affective demands on the adaptive performance of novice bridge operators. It is grounded in contextual models of cognition and appraisal theories of affect. The hypotheses focus on individual and team responses during ambiguous trigger events with significant emotional components while managing complex ship tasks. Adaptive performance is assessed through behavioral parameters relevant to both normal and critical operations, including visual behavior of officers, Threat and Error Management, Non-Technical Skill performance, and risk-related decision-making. Surveys were also used to evaluate task-related affective states and appraisals of trigger events. Findings indicate that adaptive performance, particularly at the team level, is significantly influenced by the interplay of constraining contextual conditions and the visibility of the affective aspects of events. The study advocates for an integrated approach that combines cognition and affect to model human behavior in dynamic settings. It highlights the necessity for further research into cognition and affect in real-world contexts to better understand human behavior beyond retrospective evaluations based on outcomes.
