Brunswik'S Lens Model in Human Factors Research: Modern Applications of a Classic Theory

Abstract

As we develop new ways of looking at decision making in applied contexts, such as those outlined in naturalistic decision models, it is easy to assume that these new models should be used in place of ‘old’ theories in investigations of human decision making – and in many cases it may be appropriate to do so. In substituting the new for the old, however, it is important not to lose sight of the potential contributions that theoretically sound and empirically tested models can make to our understanding of judgment and decision making in modern environments. The purpose of this panel is to highlight a classic theoretical and methodological approach to the judgment process, Egon Brunswik's probabilistic functionalism and associated Lens Model framework (e.g., 1943; 1956; Hammond & Stewart, 2001), to present its basic tenets, and to discuss its viability and applicability in the context of modern human factors investigations (Kirlik, 2001). In particular, defining facets of Brunswikian theory and the Lens Model make this approach ideal for explorations of human judgment in high-technology environments.