Toward a taxonomy of human performance.

Discusses general problems in the development of taxonomic systems for describing human tasks and performance. Alternative approaches and provisional classification schemes are presented. Specific techniques of measurement and scaling, applicable to certain task classification systems, are described and their reliability evaluated. Attempts to evaluate these systems are summarized, and attempts to apply them to several areas of human performance research (e.g., studies of drug effects, learning procedures, alcohol, and vigilance) are examined. A series of studies linking task characteristics with ability requirements is described. Some of this research is considered encouraging, in that the generalizability of data on performance increases when certain classification systems are used to describe the tasks utilized in such research. (44 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)