Effects of diversity in field articulation on human-computer performance
Abstract
Past studies have shown that spatial ability is a good predictor of computer performance. This study investigated diversity in field-articulation between individuals with high and low spatial ability in order to determine how this diversity might explain differences in computer performance. Field-articulation was suggested to influence performance on tasks which required cognitive restructuring skills. This study compared the performance of two typical computer tasks by field-dependent and field-independent subjects as a function of the amount of structuring of system information required to create the task environment. A three dimensional (task complexity, quality of integration, and level of differentiation) conceptual model of field-articulation was proposed. A conceptual model of the interaction between concurrent task processing demands and structuring requirements was hypothesized to explain differences in memory organization which were suggested to lead to computer performance differences. These models were tested with 36 subjects, 18 identified as field-dependent and 18 identified as field-independent. The subjects performed both a computer information search and spreadsheet task under three task conditions, two structured by the experimenter and one by the subjects. Planned comparison results for the performance time variable indicated that the field-independent group performed significantly faster than the field-dependent group under all three task conditions. Planned comparison results for the memory organization variable indicated that the field-dependent group imposed significantly less organization on task information than the field-independent group under the condition requiring system structuring. Post hoc regression results provided some indication that this difference in organization may have resulted in the significantly slower performance of the field-dependent group under this condition. Under the task conditions structured by the experimenter, no significant differences in memory organization were detected between the two subject groups. However, significant computer performance differences were detected. Post hoc regression results provided some indication that performance time was not related to memory organization under the structured condition which did not require concurrent processing.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Salvendy, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Industrial engineering|Psychology
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