Cue Utilization and Situation Awareness during a Simulated Experience

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to collect data on decision makers' use of environmental cues and situation awareness levels in a decision-making scenario. In a given situation, information cues are typically associated with implicit weight values that allow the decision maker to make sense of the current environment, as well as make judgments about a future event. There is some evidence that during situations in which cues may actually fluctuate in importance, decision makers may not assign cue weights accurately. It would follow that situation awareness may also be lower than when weights accurately reflect cue values present in the environment. The goal of this study was to explore whether there was a relationship between the patterns of cue utilization and levels of situation awareness in a dynamic computerized flight simulation, TIDE². In addition, correlational analyses were conducted between measurements of cognitive style, situation awareness level measurements, and judgment accuracy. Evidence for these relationships was found.