Emily H. Wughalter, Ed.D.San José State University

Vicente, K. J. (1997). Heeding the legacy of Meister, Bunswik, & Gibson: Toward a broader view of human factors research. Human Factors, 39, 323-328.

Payne, D. G., & Blackwell, J. M. (1997). Toward a valid view of human factors research: Response to Vicente (1997). Human Factors, 39, 329-331.

“The fact that one has to justify a study of human behaviour in a natural setting, where humans ordinarily behave, as opposed to in a laboratory setting, is certainly extraordinary” (Xaio, 1994; cited in Vicente, 1997, p. 323.).

Ecological validity is a measure of the extent to which research represents real world problems.

It is often referred to as a “Gibsonian” approach because Gibson argued for more ecologically valid research methods and developed the area known of as ecological psychology.

Motor behavior research has been criticized because of its lack of ecological validity.

See Issue of Quest (1990)

Singer, R.N. (1990). Motor learning research: Meaningful ways for physical educators or a waste of time?

Magill, R.A. (1990). Motor learning is meaningful for physical educators.

Locke, L.F. (1990). Why motor learning is ignored: A case of ducks, naughty theories, and unrequited love.

Hoffman, S.J. (1990). Relevance, application, and the development of an unlikely theory.

Quest, 1990, 42 (2)

Seidentop, D.A. (1977). Motor learning and instructional design: Why the shotgun wedding? Proceedings of the NCPEAM/NAPECW National Conferenece (pp. 145-152). Chicago: National College Physical Education Association for Men and the National Association for Physical Education of College Women.

BasicBasic AppliedApplied

TheoreticalTheoretical

EmpiricalEmpirical

Personal experience Authority Inductive and deductive reasoning Scientific method Systematic forms of qualitative data

collection

Type 1 - “Highly controlled laboratory experiments”

Type 2 - “Less controlled but more complex laboratory experiments”

Type 3 - “Evaluations conducted in high-fidelity simulators or in the field”

Type 4 - “Qualitative, descriptive field studies”

Rigorous laboratory controls Well-defined and measured variables Reductionist approach Laboratory based Real science Objective Basic

Pseudoscience Increased complexity of designs and

tasks Reduced controls Not so well controlled

Leaps from simulators to the real world applications are often across giant chasms.

Experimental control is lacking Observational variables are measured Measures are not quantifiable Not statistical Subjective analysis

Type 1 - May be limited because of reductionist approach, i.e., controls, tasks selected, context

Type 2 - Reduced control, increased representation of sample

Type 3 - Increased representation of the context, good generalizability

Type 4 - Conducted on real world problems

Questions to consider

What are your reactions to the Vicente recommendations?

How can you use the recommendations of Vicente?

How do Payne and Blackwell respond to Vicente’s critique of their work?

What are Payne and Blackwell’s criticisms of the Vicente model?