Estimation of Time Requirements During Planning: Interactions Between Motivation and Cognition.
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| Title: | Estimation of Time Requirements During Planning: Interactions Between Motivation and Cognition. |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Hayes-Roth, Barbara, Rand Corp., Santa Monica, CA. |
| Availability: | The Rand Corp., 1700 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90406 ($3.00). |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 38 |
| Publication Date: | 1980 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Office of Naval Research, Arlington, VA. Personnel and Training Research Programs Office. |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Abstract Reasoning, Achievement Need, Motivation, Planning, Task Analysis, Time |
| Abstract: | To test people's ability to underestimate time requirements during planning, researchers conducted three experiments in which subjects had to estimate the time needed to do hypothetical errands in an imaginary town. The subjects comprised three separate groups of students and citizens. Variables tested included the number of errands, the total available time, time required per errand, and travel time. The first experiment confirmed previous findings that people tend to underestimate time requirements and hence plan to do more than they can achieve. The second and third experiments tested two factors influencing time estimation: people's cognitive tendency to plan at high levels of abstraction and the motivational tendency to wish to do all the tasks considered. The cognitive tendency was examined by giving the subjects detailed breakdowns of required actions. The resulting time estimates were higher and more realistic. In the third experiment the errands were assigned levels of importance. Subjects with more important errands had larger underestimates of time requirements. These results lead the authors to suggest that planners should operate at optimal levels of abstraction and should be prevented from incorporating too many tasks in their plans. (RW) |
| Entry Date: | 1982 |
| Accession Number: | ED207215 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: ED207215 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Report PubTypeId: report PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Estimation of Time Requirements During Planning: Interactions Between Motivation and Cognition. – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hayes-Roth%2C+Barbara%22">Hayes-Roth, Barbara</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rand+Corp%2E%2C+Santa+Monica%2C+CA%2E%22">Rand Corp., Santa Monica, CA.</searchLink> – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: The Rand Corp., 1700 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90406 ($3.00). – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: N – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 38 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 1980 – Name: SourceSuprt Label: Sponsoring Agency Group: SrcSuprt Data: Office of Naval Research, Arlington, VA. Personnel and Training Research Programs Office. – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Reports - Research – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Abstract+Reasoning%22">Abstract Reasoning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+Need%22">Achievement Need</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Motivation%22">Motivation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Planning%22">Planning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Task+Analysis%22">Task Analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Time%22">Time</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: To test people's ability to underestimate time requirements during planning, researchers conducted three experiments in which subjects had to estimate the time needed to do hypothetical errands in an imaginary town. The subjects comprised three separate groups of students and citizens. Variables tested included the number of errands, the total available time, time required per errand, and travel time. The first experiment confirmed previous findings that people tend to underestimate time requirements and hence plan to do more than they can achieve. The second and third experiments tested two factors influencing time estimation: people's cognitive tendency to plan at high levels of abstraction and the motivational tendency to wish to do all the tasks considered. The cognitive tendency was examined by giving the subjects detailed breakdowns of required actions. The resulting time estimates were higher and more realistic. In the third experiment the errands were assigned levels of importance. Subjects with more important errands had larger underestimates of time requirements. These results lead the authors to suggest that planners should operate at optimal levels of abstraction and should be prevented from incorporating too many tasks in their plans. (RW) – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 1982 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: ED207215 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED207215 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 38 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Abstract Reasoning Type: general – SubjectFull: Achievement Need Type: general – SubjectFull: Motivation Type: general – SubjectFull: Planning Type: general – SubjectFull: Task Analysis Type: general – SubjectFull: Time Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Estimation of Time Requirements During Planning: Interactions Between Motivation and Cognition. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Rand Corp., Santa Monica, CA. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hayes-Roth, Barbara IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 11 Type: published Y: 1980 |
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