Good luck with the research, but don’t overlook alternative views.
There is no such thing as automation surprise, only an individual emotion where a situation is not as expected – incorrect mental model.
Wrong questions; not ‘what is it doing now’ but ‘what did I ask it to do for the anticipated situation’; was the situation anticipated, what is the difference between the expected automatic activity and that planned.
Will pilots’ recollections be biased by hindsight?
With time, you may wish to review the lengthy exchange and references in the forum
Autopilot Automation: Friend or Foe, and Monitoring Skills for Pilots.
Also watch out for the soon to be released FAA Study on Automation – this week.
And with LinkedIn membership (free)
“Is flight mode awareness still an issue in the 21st Century?” (FSF Forum)