EFFECTS OF DIVERSITY IN COGNITIVE RESTRUCTURING SKILLS ON HUMAN-COMPUTER PERFORMANCE

The objective of this study was to determine if more efficient perform ance in hierarchical computer environments could be obtained from fiel d-dependent (low technical aptitude) individuals by manipulating infor mation structuring requirements. A three-dimensional (task complexity, quality of integration, and level of differentiation) conceptual mode l was proposed to explain differences in memory organization which wer e suggested to lead to computer performance differences. The model was tested with 36 subjects, 18 identified as field-dependent and 18 as f ield-independent. The subjects performed the information search task u nder three task conditions, two structured by the experimenter and one by the subjects. The results indicated that the effects of difference s in the organization of task information on computer performance time can be controlled for by providing subjects with a period of time ded icated to the acquisition of a system's structure.