Investigating The Mechanisms That Drive Implicit Coordination In Teams

The purpose of this study was to empirically test the oft-noted hypothesis that shared mental models lead to implicit coordination. Specifically, this dissertation investigated the underlying mechanisms of implicit coordination and how different aspects of shared mental models affect the process. The research questions tested in this study were (a)how perceptions of sharedness affect the initiation of implicit coordination, (b) how actual levels of sharedness affect the process of implicit coordination, and (c) how quality of task mental models affects successful implicit coordination. Sixty same-gender, two-person teams engaged in a complex military reconnaissance planning task in which the team members were required to work together by exchanging information to plan routes for one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and one unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). The results provided partial support for the influence of different facets of shared mental models on the process of implicit coordination. Specifically, individual mental model quality, not perceptions of sharedness or actual mental model sharedness, was the biggest predictor of the initiation of implicit coordination. Additionally, perceptions of sharedness and actual mental model sharedness interacted with one another, such that teams in mismatched conditions (high perceptions of sharedness but low actual sharedness [false consensus], or low perceptions of sharedness and high actual sharedness, [pluralistic ignorance]) tended to increase their communications. The implications and recommendations for future research on implicit coordination and shared mental models are discussed. Additionally, the implications for operators of unmanned vehicles are also discussed

A Human Factors Analysis Of The Current U.S. Notices To Airmen (Notam) System

We performed a human factors analysis of the format and dissemination of the Notices to Airmen (NOTAM; Federal Aviation Administration [FAA], 2002a) system to determine possible causes for dissatisfaction with the system. In the analysis, we utilized design principles developed for the FAA in the FAA Human Factors Design Guide (Wagner, Birt, Snyder, & Duncanson, 1996). The document provides guidance and information to those involved in all areas of the aviation industry for the design and evaluation of systems and equipment. This evaluation of the NOTAM system demonstrated that NOTAMs do not follow many of the basic human factors principles contained in the referenced design guide. Furthermore, analyses of NOTAMs based on the FAA design principles augmented findings from a survey (Hoeft, Kochan, & Jentsch, 2003) that suggested performance and satisfaction with the system might be greatly increased if human factors-based changes to the NOTAM system were implemented

Exploring The Role Of Shared Mental Models For Implicit Coordination In Teams

Previous research has suggested that when high-performing teams are experiencing increased workload, they will adaptively shift from explicit to more implicit forms of coordination. This is thought to occur because the team members have shared mental models (SMMs) which allow them to anticipate one another\u27s needs. However, it is currently not known how SMMs are related to implicit coordination. Much of the research on SMMs had focused on the actual level of sharedness and, to some degree, on the accuracy of each team member\u27s model. However, to our knowledge, none has investigated the relationship between SMMs and implicit coordination. Furthermore, one line of research that has received very little attention is the notion of perceptions of sharedness. Must team members have an accurate perception of how well they share mental models in order to exploit them via implicit coordination? The purpose of this paper is to explore these fundamental questions that drive the process of implicit coordination

Demonstration: Advancing Robotics Research Through The Use Of A Scale Mout Facility

This demonstration serves as an introduction to the CARAT scale MOUT (Military Operation in Urban Terrain) facility developed at the Team Performance Laboratory (TPL) at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Advances in automated military vehicles require research to understand how best to allocate control of these vehicles. Whether, discussing uninhabited ground vehicles (UGVs) or air vehicles (UAVs), many questions still exist as to the optimum level of performance with respect to the ratio of human controls to vehicles. The scale MOUT facility at UCF allows researchers to investigate these issues without sacrificing large costly equipment and without requiring vast physical areas, within which to test such equipment. This demonstration provides an introduction to the scale MOUT facility, describes the basic need for this tool, presents its advantages over full size counterparts, as well as several other possible uses for the facility

Tpl-Kats - Concept Map: A Computerized Knowledge Assessment Tool

A wide variety of instruments for the assessment of structural knowledge are used in psychology, education, and engineering. A software tool, TPL-KATS - Concept Map, was developed to examine the organization of mental representations via the use of a computer. This software tool provides a more efficient and user-friendly method than the traditional manual approaches to concept mapping used in the past. TPL-KATS - Concept Map can automate the entire concept map task, from instructions, to administration, to scoring. Although originally developed as a data collection tool for psychological studies, this software can be a valuable resource in training, interface design, and education as well. © 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Applying Training Evaluation Models To The Clinical Setting

Recently, the field of clinical psychology has expressed a focused concern related to treatment outcome effectiveness. It is necessary for clinicians, including military psychologists, not only to know that a treatment is effective but also to know the reasons why the treatment works. This concern is also relevant in the training evaluation field. Training research has sought to analyze the outcomes and processes of training programs, and models, such as Kirkpatrick\u27s (1959a, 1959b, 1960a, 1960b, 1976) training evaluation model, have been devised to examine each aspect of the training process. This article provides an illustration of how advances in training research, most notably the evaluation of outcome variables, might aid clinicians in more thorough evaluations of therapies and also illustrates a common bridge between the two domains

Virtual Reality For Life Skills Education: Program Evaluation

A program evaluation was completed for a Virtual Reality (VR) pilot project intended to aid deaf children in learning various life skills which they may be at risk of not adequately learning. Such skills include crossing the street safely, exiting a building during a fire drill, and avoiding situations in which strangers may harm them. The VR was intended to allow the children extra exposure to these various scenarios to encourage proper decision-making while in a safe environment. Fifty deaf children ages 5 to 10 years from a local elementary school were included in this study. During a six-week session, students were periodically involved with the VR classroom. A different life skill was targeted each week. This evaluation looked at multiple aspects of the project to gain an overall impression of whether or not the program is beneficial to deaf children or other at-risk populations. Such areas included usability, likeability, and transfer of knowledge. The system overall was well liked and user-friendly as evidenced by the students\u27 ability to complete the tasks accurately and enthusiasm to participate in the project. However, some shortcomings were identified and are discussed further in the paper. Finally, recommendations to improve the usability and effectiveness of the program are provided