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While living and working in todays high-tech world, the ability to perform tasks and understand the system structure of technology may affect our lives in many ways. For example, calibrating a medical device such as a blood glucose meter may be infrequently performed but adequate knowledge of the system structure may be critical for doing it correctly. This and other forms of technology vary in complexity and require training for proper use. Due to age-related differences in skill acquisition, the design of proper training may be especially important for older adults when learning to use new technology. One factor to consider when developing age-specific training is the type of information presented during training. In general, little research has addressed the effect of information type on the development of an understanding of the system structure and fewer have examined the influence of age. The current study compared the effects of emphasizing actions or concepts during training on performance on multiple measures of learning. Participants completed one of two tutorials for operating a computer-simulated hydroponic garden control. One tutorial presented participants with instructions that focused specific actions to operate the system. The other tutorial displayed instructions that focused on generalized system concepts. At test, overall participants in the concept training condition were faster and more accurate than those in the action training condition for both novel and familiar tasks. Concept training also reduced age-related differences in performance. Results suggest that concept training may lead to the development of a better understanding of the system structure.

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This study compared middle school (i.e., fifth, sixth and seventh grade) students’ mental models of the day/night cycle before and after implementation of three inquiry-based treatments. The three treatments were classified as 1) structured inquiry, 2) guided inquiry, and 3) student-directed inquiry. All three treatments used Starry Night Middle School interactive simulation software to investigate the phenomenon of the day/night cycle. Additionally, all three treatments were based on two researcher-developed lessons using Starry Night Middle School. The participants were 145 fifth, sixth, and seventh grade students who were purposively selected from a public school in a U.S. state. For the purpose of this study, the students remained in their classrooms. There were three classrooms per grade level. Those classrooms were randomly assigned to one of the three treatments. Students’ scores on a pretest, immediate posttest, and delayed posttest were analyzed. Students from a purposive sample were interviewed after the pretest, immediate posttest, and delayed posttest to clarify student mental models of the day/night cycle. The students were chosen based upon their score on the multiple-choice test. Seven of the selected students were in the Structured Inquiry group. Eleven of the selected students were in the Guided Inquiry group. Five of the selected students were in the Student-directed Inquiry group. First, the comparative effects of Structured Inquiry, Guided Inquiry, and Student-directed Inquiry on middle school students’ mental models of the day/night cycle immediately and three months following the intervention revealed no statistical difference among the three treatments. Time, however, appeared to have a significant negative effect on students’ mental models of the day/night cycle. Second, inquiry groups did not differ significantly in their mental models. Third, there was no interaction between starting mental model and the type of inquiry. The major findings demonstrate that all three treatments promote learning, but that no one treatment is more effective than another.

The present study investigated the extent to which importance ratings (i.e., a measure of perceived importance for driving-related concepts) are a viable alternative to traditional mental model assessment methods in predicting driving performance. Although mental models may predict driving–related outcomes—crash involvement and moving violations—common mental model assessment techniques are associated with administrative limitations and challenges, which can affect how valid mental models are as assessments of knowledge structure. Importance ratings, as a measure of driving-related knowledge that may be associated with fewer administrative limitations, were hypothesized to provide equal predictive validity for driving–related performance outcomes in a sample of undergraduate students. To investigate the extent to which the measurement of mental models and importance ratings contribute to the prediction of driving crashes and moving violations, students completed Pathfinder, a common computer-based mental model assessment method, and paper-and-pencil importance ratings. In addition, students completed a test of driving knowledge and reported driving behaviors and outcomes including at-fault crashes and moving violations that occurred over the past five years (i.e., from 2005 to 2009). A group of expert drivers completed mental model and importance ratings assessments as well. Data across expert raters were combined and analyzed for appropriateness to serve as referent scores for each assessment. Students' mental model accuracy as well as importance rating accuracy was based on the extent to which student mental models and ratings agreed with those provided by the group of expert drivers. The results suggest that importance rating and mental model accuracy predicted crash involvement and moving violations. Whereas mental model accuracy was a stronger predictor of the number of moving violations, importance rating accuracy predicted the number of at-fault crashes slightly better than mental models. Although inconclusive, these results suggest that importance ratings may be a viable alternative to traditional mental model assessment in predicting some driving outcomes. Future research is warranted on importance ratings and other alternative mental model assessments.

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This thesis hypothesizes that providing task specific information to individual team members will improve coordination and decision-making, and therefore team performance, at time critical tasks. Major themes addressed in this research include teams and team processes, mental models, team mental models, work domain analysis, and hierarchical task analysis. Furthermore, the theory behind the development of complementary models is introduced. A unique method to identify the information sources and requirements in a complex team environment is first discussed in general and then specifically applied in two domains. The findings are presented of two experiments examining the effects of imposing different information distribution strategies that range from no complementariness to full complementariness of information. Team communication, team and individual task performance, workload, and timeliness and effectiveness of team decision making were assessed in nominal and off-nominal conditions. The first experiment used an automobile simulator and examined team navigation while driving. A second experiment was designed to incorporate additional measures to more specifically investigate individual performance, team workload, and clarity of information requirements using a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter simulator. The procedures used for both experiments provided for dynamic yet controlled environments through which critical factors that influence team process and performance could be evaluated accurately. Results of these experiments provide empirical evidence that providing task relevant information to individual team members in a time critical environment, while limiting their access to non-relevant information, improves individual and team performance. Furthermore, there is evidence of increased individual performance that indicates this method of distributing information among team members may provide individual crewmembers with a more accurate task relevant mental model of their own environment. This research provides new insight into how the distribution of information among team members effects the development of mental models, information requirements, team and individual performance, and communications, and highlights several directions for future research. The information distribution design principles presented in this thesis address the heterogeneity of teams; teams cannot be thought of as groups of identical individuals. The results concerning the communication, workload, performance and team of mental models were consistent across the domains in this research.

The business environment of today is characterised by great risks for organisations as well as for individuals. New principles and ways of working that differ significantly from what was done even as little as a decade ago are required. To keep to traditional stances in the corporate environment may mean that existing competitive advantages may not be enough anymore to ensure success. This also applies to the financial services sector where there is currently a clear shift from a product focus to a client focus. In the light of changes taking place in the financial services sector, it is also necessary to think differently about the mediators (brokers) delivering related services since the delivery channels have also changed due to technological development. Competitive advantages lie in a client and market focus rather than a product focus, and a process focus rather than a functional focus. The client’s voice must be heard and it is possible that a successful person in this focus is different from a successful person in the old focus. For the sake of quality in service delivery and alignment in the same direction, it is necessary for management to have a shared mental model when looking at staff decisions concerning brokers. They must also be aware of their own thoughts about staff within the changing focus and they must realise the impact this can have on their decisions. The main objective of this study is to determine whether the managers under investigation have a shared mental model in terms of success criteria for brokers. In order to do this, it is necessary to first investigate the concepts mental model and shared mental model and the impact they may have in an organisational environment. The Repertory Grid technique was used for data collection. As a result of the wide variety of Repertory Grid techniques, together with the various ways of application, it is essential to be familiar with the techniques and modes of application in order to choose the most suitable technique and application method for a specific study. Kelly’s Personal Construct theory contains the assumptions underlying this technique and it is important for a researcher to be aware of these regardless of whether this is the theory s/he will be using since the underlying assumptions will definitely have an influence on the interpretation of the results. The data was presented as a qualitative description of each manager’s mental model in terms of the successful broker as well as a short description of the person’s construction system regarding success in their business environment. Conclusions were made from a synthesis of the results regarding the extent to which there could be referred to a shared mental model and its possible impact on decisions and efficiency in the work and business environment. The results confirmed that the objectives of this research project were met. It emerged that this management team does not effectively share a mental model and that this may impact negatively on their business decisions. Recommendations were made regarding the change or establishment of a client-focused mental model. Suggestions for future research regarding broker efficiency were also made. / Thesis (MA (Research Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2002. / Psychology / unrestricted

Multicultural teams are capable of producing creative and high quality solutions, but are also prone to conflict (Stahl, Maznevski, Voigt, & Johnson, 2010). Thus, it is important to understand the conditions which encourage the development of strong identity in multicultural teams. Third culture, a team’s shared schema of task knowledge, team knowledge, and team motivational values (Adair, Tinsley, & Taylor, 2006), is a construct which may help fill this gap in knowledge. Two field studies were conducted (1) to examine whether participant expectations of productivity, satisfaction, and psychological safety differed among four types of third culture, and (2) to examine how individual differences in cognitive-motivation, ideology, national culture, and multicultural team experience are related to expectations of productivity, satisfaction, and psychological safety among four types of third culture. In general, results suggest that people expect more creativity and satisfaction in teams with Fusion and Mosaic third cultures, as well as less psychological safety. Future research directions are discussed.

Multicultural teams are capable of producing creative and high quality solutions, but are also prone to conflict (Stahl, Maznevski, Voigt, & Johnson, 2010). Thus, it is important to understand the conditions which encourage the development of strong identity in multicultural teams. Third culture, a team’s shared schema of task knowledge, team knowledge, and team motivational values (Adair, Tinsley, & Taylor, 2006), is a construct which may help fill this gap in knowledge. Two field studies were conducted (1) to examine whether participant expectations of productivity, satisfaction, and psychological safety differed among four types of third culture, and (2) to examine how individual differences in cognitive-motivation, ideology, national culture, and multicultural team experience are related to expectations of productivity, satisfaction, and psychological safety among four types of third culture. In general, results suggest that people expect more creativity and satisfaction in teams with Fusion and Mosaic third cultures, as well as less psychological safety. Future research directions are discussed.