PURPOSIVE SYSTEMS THEORY AND APPLICATION

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the approach and theory on which the research performed is based. Basically, the approach is the use of decision theory, with the assumption that people behave optimally given their formulations and constraints, to study the significant tasks that people perform. The ultimate goal of the approach is to map human behavior onto logic and mathematics. The emergence of the approach is given along with four basic requirements that we make of any theory to be used in understanding the behavior of individuals. The approach is contrasted with more traditional approaches. The procedure of the approach, task analysis, is explained and is illustrated by examples from the contract research. The place of applications in the approach is dealt with extensively. The paper includes a guide to the more important ideas dealt with in the contract research with references to the relevant contract publications. Abstracts of these publications, seven completed and seven in preparation, are also included.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1964
Accession Number
AD0609377

Entities

People

  • H. E. Massengill Jr.

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Air Force
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Computational Science
  • Computer Programming
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Contracts
  • Decision Theory
  • Human Behavior
  • Mathematics
  • Probability Distributions
  • Psychology
  • Random Variables
  • Stochastic Processes
  • Task Performance And Analysis
  • Theorems

Readers

  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Theoretical Analysis.