This paper describes issues in developing a scientifically based system for relating the abilities of people required to perform jobs to the nature of the task characteristics of these jobs. Conceptual and methodological issues in classifying tasks are discussed as are the objectives of task taxonomies and criteria for their evaluation. Alternative taxonomic approaches are described. A particular approach to classifying tasks in terms of ability requirements is described in more detail and evaluated according to a number of criteria and applications. These latter include encouraging utility in job analysis, test development, setting performance standards, and classifying jobs into families.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BakerW.J.GeistA.M.FleishmanE.A. (1967). Effects of cylert (magnesium-pemoline) on physiological, physical proficiency, and psychomotor performance measures.Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research.
2.
CooperM.SchemmerF.M.GebhardtD.L.Marshall-MiesJ.FleishmanE.A. (1982). Development and validation of physical ability tests for jobs in the electric power industry (ARRO Final Report 3056). Washington, DC: Advanced Research Resources Organization.
3.
ElkinE.H.FleishmanE.A.Van CottH.P.HorowitzH.FreedleR.O. (1965). Effects of drugs on human performance: Research concepts, tests development, and preliminary studies (Report AIR-E-25-10/65-AR-1). Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research.
4.
FittsP.M. (1962). Factors in complex skill training. In GlaserR. (Ed.), Training research and education, Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press.
5.
FleishmanE.A. (1964). The structure and measurement of physical fitness.Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
6.
Fleishman, (1967a). Individual differences in motor learning. In GagneR.M. (Ed.), Learning and individual differences.Columbus, OH: Merrill.
7.
FleishmanE.A. (1967b). Performance assessment based on an empirically derived task taxonomy. Human Factors, 9, 349–366.
8.
FleishmanE.A. (1972). Structure and measurement of psychomotor abilities. In SingerR.N. (Ed.), The psychomotor domain: Movement behavior.Philadelphia: PA, Lea & Febiger.
9.
FleishmanE.A. (1975). Toward a taxonomy of human performance. American Psychologist, 30, 1127–1149.
10.
FleishmanE.A. (1982). Systems for describing human tasks. American Psychologist, 37(7), 1–14.
11.
FleishmanE.A.HoganJ.C. (1979). An index of the physical effort required in human task performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 64, 197–204.
12.
FleishmanE.A.KinkadeR.G.ChambersA.N. (1972). Development of a taxonomy of human performance: A review of the first year's progress. JSAS Catalogue of Selected Documents in Psychology, 2, 39(Ms. No. 111).
13.
FleishmanE.A.QuaintanceM.K. (1984). Taxonomies of human performance: The description of human tasks.Orlando, FL: Academic Press, Inc.
14.
GebhardtD.L.MyersD.C.FleishmanE.A. (1984, Spring). Development of a job-related medical evaluation system. San Bernardino County Medical Standards News, p. 5–6.
15.
HackmanJ.R. (1968). Tasks and task performance in research on stress. In McGrathJ.E. (Ed.), Social and psychological factors on stress.New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.
16.
HoganJ.C.OgdenG.D.FleishmanE.A. (1978). Assessing physical requirements' for establishing medical standards in selected benchmark jobs (ARRO Final Report 3012/R78–8). Washington, DC: Advanced Research Resources Organization.
17.
LevineJ.M.KramerG.G.LevineE.N. (1975). Effects of alcohol on human performance: An integration of research findings based on abilities classification. Journal of Applied Psychology, 60, 285–293.
18.
LevineJ.M.RomashkoT.FleishmanE.A. (1973). Evaluation of an abilities classification system for integrating and generalizing findings about human performance: The vigilance area. Journal of Applied Psychology, 58, 147–149.
19.
MallamadS.M.LevineJ.M.FleishmanE.A. (1980). Identifying ability requirements by decision flow diagrams. Human Factors, 22(1), 57–68.
20.
MeisterD. (1976). Behavioral foundations of system development.New York: Wiley.
21.
MillerR.B. (1962). Analysis and specification of behavior for training. In GlaserR. (Ed.), Training research and education.Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.
22.
MyersD.C.JenningsM.C.FleishmanE.A. (1981). Development of job-related medical standards and physical tests for court security officer jobs (ARRO Final Report 3062/R81–3). Washington, DC: Advanced Research Resources Organization.
23.
MyersD.C.GebhardtD.L.PriceS.J.FleishmanE.A. (1981). Development of physical performance standards for Army jobs: Validation of the Physical Abilities Analysis methodology (ARRO Final Report 3045/R81–2). Washington, DC: Advanced Research Resources Organization.
24.
PearlmanK. (1980). Job families: A review and discussion of their implications for personnel selection. Psychological Bulletin. 87, 1–27.
25.
SokalR.R.SneathP.H.A. (1963). Principles of numerical taxonomy.San Francisco, CA: Freeman Press.
26.
TheologusG.C.FleishmanE.A. (1973). Development of a taxonomy of human performance: Validation study of ability scales for classifying human tasks. JSAS Catalogue of Selected Documents in Psychology, 3, 29, (Ms. No. 326).
27.
TheologusG.C.WheatonG.R.FleishmanE.A. (1974). Effects of intermittent, moderate intensity noise-stress on human performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 59, 539–547.
28.
WhetonG.R. (1973). Development of a taxonomy of human performance: A review of classificatory systems relating to tasks and performance. JSAS Catalogue of Selected Documents in Psychology, 3, 22–23 (Ms. No. 317).
