The Planning Bias in the Spatial Rendezvous: Partial Compensation for Temporal Uncertainty

Abstract

Rendezvous behaviors involve meeting at a time and place, therefore requiring accurate prediction and planning of both your own and the target trajectory. Previous work suggests that the planning bias occurs in spatial situations, with control decisions in a basic ship simulation producing a general tendency towards late rendezvous arrivals. The current experiment introduced temporal uncertainty, operationalized through intermittent delays in the trajectory of the participant’s ship on only some trials. Most trends found under certainty, such as preference for dual axis control, were replicated. Compensation for the possible delays resulted in improved accuracy overall, although not enough to overcome the delays themselves; late arrivals were still prevalent on those trials. Experiencing uncertainty therefore influences the planning bias, and the inclusion of some unpredictable events may counterintuitively improve overall performance. The implications for real-world planning and decision making are discussed.