Effect of the Time Restrictions on Information Search and Information Integrationin a Dynamic Task Environment

摘要

To date, research has mainly used deadlines in static task environments toinvestigate the effects of time pressure on decision making behaviour. A dynamic environment, on the other hand, changes over time and time pressure may result when time is not used efficiently and negative consequences are rapidly increasing. An experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of time horizon on decision making behaviour in a dynamic task environment. Subjects were required to monitor the fitness level of a running athlete, depicted graphically on a computer screen, and to apply a proper treatment whenever necessary. Information could be requested on symptoms, which were probabilistically related to underlying causes. The time horizon was manipulated by the speed at which the athlete's fitness level changed over time. Restrictions in time horizon did not affect the amount and type of information that was requested, and the diagnoses became even better. Nevertheless, more athletes collapsed in the more restricted time horizon conditions. In the short time horizon conditions subjects furthermore employed a more cautious decision strategy. As far as the use of time was concerned it was found that information processing was speeded up, but subjects waited relatively the same amount of time before they started to intervene with the system.