TOWARD UNDERSTANDING ROLE OF TASKS IN BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH

Tasks play an important role in much research on human behavior, and differences in tasks and task characteristics have been shown to mediate differences in individual and social behavior. Thus, it is unfortunate that we know relatively little about the nature of tasks and their behavioral implications. This paper attempts to lay the ground work for furthering our understanding of the differences among tasks and the ways in which tasks influence behavior. Three general 'problem areas' are reviewed and evaluated in the paper: (a) problems in defining the concept 'task' - i.e., what are the components and characteristics of an adequate task definition; (b) problems relevant to the description of tasks - i.e., what are the most useful and appropriate bases for making task descriptions and comparisons; and (c) problems relevant to understanding task effects - i.e., how do task factors make differences in the ways people think and act. After evaluating several issues relevant to the problems of task definition and description, one working definition of the concept is proposed, and one general approach to task description is suggested as likely to be most useful in understanding the behavioral impact of tasks. Finally, a framework is proposed which outlines the diversity of effects which may be attributable to task factors in a performance situation, and suggests how these effects may be conceptualized and related. © 1969.