Cue utilization and strategy application in stable and unstable dynamic environments

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsys.2010.12.004 Copyright © 2011, Elsevie

Approaches to Learning to Control Dynamic Uncertainty

In dynamic environments, when faced with a choice of which learning strategy to adopt, do people choose to mostly explore (maximizing their long term gains) or exploit (maximizing their short term gains)? More to the point, how does this choice of learning strategy influence one’s later ability to control the environment? In the present study, we explore whether people’s self-reported learning strategies and levels of arousal (i.e., surprise, stress) correspond to performance measures of controlling a Highly Uncertain or Moderately Uncertain dynamic environment. Generally, self-reports suggest a preference for exploring the environment to begin with. After which, those in the Highly Uncertain environment generally indicated they exploited more than those in the Moderately Uncertain environment; this difference did not impact on performance on later tests of people’s ability to control the dynamic environment. Levels of arousal were also differentially associated with the uncertainty of the environment. Going beyond behavioral data, our model of dynamic decision-making revealed that, in actual fact, there was no difference in exploitation levels between those in the highly uncertain or moderately uncertain environments, but there were differences based on sensitivity to negative reinforcement. We consider the implications of our findings with respect to learning and strategic approaches to controlling dynamic uncertainty.This study was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

Success and Failure of Experts and Novices in a Complex and Dynamic Business Simulation

The current study examined the problem solving behaviors of novices and experts in a complex computer simulation. Dynamic decision-making and complex problem solving abilities were analyzed to investigate if experts are the most successful of all participants when simulating the role of CEO of a chocolate factory, CHOCO FINE. Participants included novices, business undergraduate students and psychology undergraduate students, and experts, small business owners. Results revealed that small business owners engaged in the most successful dynamic decision-making strategies. Experts compared to novices had more total monies at the end of the simulation, spent more time in the first two months of twenty-four months, spent less money on information collection overall, made the most changes in representatives and advertising, and less changes in market research. This study addressed the differences between novices and experts not only in performance, but also in behavior in a complex and uncertain situation. The findings from this research enhance the dearth of research in addressing the relationship between behavior strategy and performance specifically in the area of expertise. The research at hand extends the previous literature within the domain of decision-making and provides insight for the differences in behavior strategies between novice and expert subjects

Applying insights on categorisation, communication, and dynamic decision-making: A case study of a ‘simple’ maritime military decision

A complete understanding of decision-making in military domains requires gathering insights from several fields of study. To make the task tractable, here we consider a specific example of short-term tactical decisions under uncertainty made by the military at sea. Through this lens, we sketch out relevant literature from three psychological tasks each underpinned by decision-making processes: categorisation, communication, and choice. From the literature, we note two general cognitive tendencies that emerge across all three stages: the effect of cognitive load and individual differences. Drawing on these tendencies, we recommend strategies, tools and future research that could improve performance in military domains—but, by extension, would also generalise to other high-stakes contexts. In so doing, we show the extent to which domain general properties of high order cognition are sufficient in explaining behaviours in domain specific contexts

The Nature of Problem Solving

Solving non-routine problems is a key competence in a world full of changes, uncertainty and surprise where we strive to achieve so many ambitious goals. But the world is also full of solutions because of the extraordinary competences of humans who search for and find them. We must explore the world around us in a thoughtful way, acquire knowledge about unknown situations efficiently, and apply new and existing knowledge creatively. The Nature of Problem Solving presents the background and the main ideas behind the development of the PISA 2012 assessment of problem solving, as well as results from research collaborations that originated within the group of experts who guided the development of this assessment. It illustrates the past, present and future of problem-solving research and how this research is helping educators prepare students to navigate an increasingly uncertain, volatile and ambiguous world

Situation awareness, emotions and time perception: an investigation of the effects of emotions on measures of situation awareness, the perception of time, and decision making

Current theories of Situation Awareness (SA) are based on three broad cognitive processes, that of perception, comprehension and projection. While there are considerable variations on how SA is defined and subsequently modeled (see Endsley 1995, Hancock & Smith 1995 or Edgar & Edgar 2007), most current theories fail to account for the role and influence of emotions on SA. A further shared characteristic of the current models is the lack of integration of SA theories with the ever-increasing knowledge of the functional specializations of different brain areas. This thesis' main aim was to bridge these gaps by integrating current developments from neuroscience and cognitive psychology with perception, learning and decision-making aspects of SA, all within the context of different affective conditions. The experiments described in this thesis, therefore, share a focus on the emotional effects on the aforementioned cognitive processes as well as detection of possible neural signatures as reflected by Electroencephalography (EEG) recording. The first experiment showed that negative, neutral and positive affective conditions had markedly different effects on the processes of SA. Subsequently, the next three experiments focused on the effects of emotions in a particular aspect of SA, that of decision making, and attempted to isolate the EEG correlates of advantageous and disadvantageous decision-making processes. It was found that about 400 to 300 milliseconds (denoted as SM400) prior to enacting a decision, the EEG recording was able to distinguish between the advantageous and disadvantageous choices. Finally, the last three experiments investigated the mechanisms by which emotions exert their influence on how information is perceived and learned. It was found that negative and positive affective stimuli dilated and contracted the perception of time respectively and that, furthermore, the processing of negative stimuli is based more on long-term memory as opposed to working memory. The research in this thesis suggests that what kind of SA one person may have is very much affected by emotional processes. This thesis hopes to have contributed to an initial understanding of these processes and stimulate further research on these areas