Aircrew decision training and evaluation using the Internet

Investigators conducting research on human performance and decision-making in aviation and other applied domains have frequently been deterred from conducting research with individuals of varying capacities, temperament, experience, and training because of logistical difficulties. Recent developments in computer technology may provide a solution to many of these problems. Potential participants can be reached at home or at work through the Internet using aesthetically enticing video and audio materials. In this paper, an Internet-based Decision Research System (IDRS) that is capable of reproducing simulated decision environments and conducting research using other typical laboratory procedures is described. This system allows researchers to reach participants at remote locations and gather many of the measures typically obtained in the laboratory (e.g., time spent accessing different sources of information, order of access, decisions made, self reports of confidence, and subjective probability estimates). The IDRS and other systems like it could dramatically alter the way behavioral research and training program evaluations are conducted