Improving Individual and Team Decisions Using Iconic Abstractions of Subjective Knowledge
Abstract
Eighteen military officers made ratings about the suitable location of a mythical refugee camp. They were given 30 information items, 6 items for each of 5 decision criteria. Using a 5-point acceptability scale, they gave a rating for each of the criteria plus an overall acceptability rating. Half of the participants (Text group) saw each item and assigned it to a criterion, and then during the decision phase were shown the items they had assigned to each criterion and asked to make their ratings. The other half of the participants (IOB group) had the additional task of evaluating each item on a 4-point yes-no rating scale. During the decision phase they were not shown the original text items but rather an information object (IOB) representation of the item, (i.e., a small symbol that encapsulated their subjective rating of the item). Half of the participants should have made a Positive recommendation, half a Negative recommendation. The results showed that not a single participant in the Text group made a correct overall assessment, predominately selecting the "neutral" option. Six of the nine IOB participants made the correct overall assessment. Both groups took significantly longer to process information and make ratings when the preponderance of the information was positive in content versus negative in content. Results are discussed in terms of the increased confidence the IOB participants had in the accuracy of their ratings and the increased time that was needed to assess positive information that endorses commitment to an action.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA462773
Entities
People
- Michael B. Cowen
- Robert A. Fleming
Organizations
- Naval Information Warfare Systems Command