Cognitive styles and virtual environments

Ford, N

N. Ford, Cognitive styles and virtual environments, J AM S INFO, 51(6), 2000, pp. 543-557

51

INGLESE

Article

Library & Information Science

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE

0002-8231 → ACNP

51

6

2000

543 - 557

ISI

0002-8231(200004)51:6<543:CSAVE>2.0.ZU;2-U

Virtual environments enable a given information space to be traversed in di fferent ways by different individuals, using different routes and navigatio n tools. However, we urgently need robust user models to enable us to optim ize the deployment of such facilities. Research into individual differences suggests that the notion of cognitive style may be useful in this process. Many such styles have been identified. However, it is argued that Pask's w ork on holist and serialist strategies and associated styles of information processing are particularly promising in terms of the development of adapt ive information systems. These constructs are reviewed, and their potential utility in "real-world" situations assessed. Suggestions are made for ways in which they could be used in the development of virtual environments cap able of optimizing the stylistic strengths and complementing the weaknesses of individual users. The role of neural networks in handling the essential ly fuzzy nature of user models is discussed. Neural networks may be useful in dynamically mapping users' navigational behavior onto user models to ena ble them to generate appropriate adaptive responses. However, their learnin g capacity may also be particularly useful in the process of improving syst em performance and in the cumulative development of more robust user models .