Macrocognition in Complex Team Problem Solving
Abstract
Defense transformation has dictated that coalition operations, joint force actions and multinational response teams will all be integral to the force of the future. Therefore, a critical objective of C2 in the 21st Century will be to accomplish Knowledge Interoperability. Missions will be interconnected and interdependent, sociotechnical factors will increase, and cognitive work will be distributed among people and machines. This increases the need for teams to plan, think, decide, solve problems, and take action as integrated units. In this paper we describe a multi-disciplinary theoretical framework of macrocognition so as to support research in collaborative problem solving in C2. We define macrocognition as the internalized and externalized high-level mental processes employed by teams to create new knowledge during complex, one-of-a-kind, collaborative problem solving. We build upon theoretical underpinnings from the cognitive and organizational sciences and integrate these with naturalistic decision making. We have two overarching goals with this effort. First, our short-term goal is to identify and define the key processes and functions that drive macrocognition. Second, our long-term goal is a richer understanding of the varied concepts necessary to capture the complexities inherent in collaborative problem solving so as to eventually drive improved training and collaborative decision making.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA481422
Entities
People
- Eduardo Salas
- Michael A. Rosen
- Michael Letsky
- Norman Warner
- Stephen M. Fiore
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research