Microworlds

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In microworlds is computer simulation of problem situations. With their help, it became possible for the first time in psychology to measure the ability to deal with complex problems from the 1970s . Templates for micro-worlds often come from the fields of business, medicine or politics.

construction

Microworlds consist of several variables that are linked to form a system through hidden relationships. Each variable stands for a property of the simulated problem situation. Similar to a computer game, information about the current state of the micro-world and its variables is presented on the screen. By intervening in the program interface, the user can change the values ​​of individual variables. This makes it possible to influence the state of the entire micro-world and to gain information about the relationships between the variables.

Formal properties of a micro world

Micro-worlds in the sense of psychological diagnostics can simulate a large number of different, real problem situations, so that the micro-worlds represent very different types of content. Nevertheless, based on the properties of a complex problem, three formal properties can be identified that are common to most micro-worlds:

Complexity: Microworlds are characterized by a multitude of variables that are networked with one another through hidden relationships. As a rule of thumb, one can say that microworlds become more complex, the more variables and relationships between these variables they contain.

Dynamics: The relationships between the variables result in so-called dynamics. This means that changing one variable can lead to unplanned changes in other variables. A special case of this are their own dynamics. They have the effect that the state of one or more variables can change without user intervention.

Opacity: Most micro-worlds do not reveal all information to the user, but rather leave certain variables and relationships invisible. And even if all the relevant information is known, the high level of complexity makes it difficult or even impossible for the user to consider them all at the same time.

A classification or comparability is difficult to achieve with these 3 criteria. In fact, it has been shown that micro-worlds can be described by different properties whose interactions make it more difficult, for example, to classify one micro-world as more difficult compared to another micro-world.

Examples of micro-worlds

Lohhausen: In this scenario by Dietrich Dörner from 1979, the user takes on the role of mayor of the fictional small town of Lohhausen. Its task is to help the city to achieve economic growth within a certain period of time (10 simulated years). This historically first micro-world is determined by approx. 2000 variables and is still considered extremely complex today. The program was originally programmed in Simula . Attempts at reprogramming and thus making them useful for current research do not seem to have been successful so far, so that this micro-world is relevant primarily from a historical point of view.

Tailor's workshop: With this micro-world by Wiebke Putz-Osterloh from 1981, the problem solver has the task of running a tailoring workshop profitably. To this end, the value of the company must be increased within twelve game rounds by influencing several variables. The tailoring workshop was used by different research groups in different versions. Elaborate analyzes of the micro-world have shown that the original evaluation rules were useless to evaluate the performance of the problem solver due to suboptimal variable relationships. This was followed by an adaptation of the micro-world and the development of different assessment rules. The tailor's workshop is one of the most widely used micro-worlds in research into complex problem-solving. In English-language research reports , the micro-world is referred to as the tailorshop .

Moro / Tanaland / Dagu In the role of a development worker, the user is supposed to improve the living conditions of a nomadic tribe (Moro) in the Sahel . To this end, financial resources have to be divided up for combating several sub-problems, with the development worker having extensive options for intervention. At the beginning of the simulation, the tribal group includes around 650 people as well as several herds of cattle that feed the tribe. A large part of the livestock is regularly destroyed by disease, and famine and limited opportunities in agriculture make living conditions difficult. The micro-world consists of several interconnected sub-systems (e.g. population, work, water cycle, vegetation). The first scientific publications on the simulation were published in 1986 by Stefan Strohschneider ; the micro-world was used in several follow-up studies in different versions with different names (e.g. Tanaland, Dagu). Since the actors mostly did not perform well in the simulation and the content-related embedding (development aid) was of particular interest at the time, the study results were also discussed in the non-scientific media.

Peacemaker: This computer game by ImpactGames from 2008 in the form of a micro-world simulates the critical topic of the Middle East conflict. The user is given the role of a peacemaker and should try to find a peaceful solution. A wide range of information material is available about the parties involved and the background to the conflict.

FSYS: The scenario was developed on the basis of Dietrich Wagener's operational intelligence diagnostics. In contrast to the usual micro-worlds, in addition to the performance measures (here: total assets), FSYS also contains behavioral measures for the quality of measures, information acquisition and self-management. In terms of content, the scenario was embedded in a forestry operation. Five pieces of forest are to be managed, prior knowledge effects are reduced, among other things, by imaginary names.

Fields of application

Problem-solving research: Micro-worlds laid the foundation for research into the ability to solve complex problems (complex problem-solving skills). For this purpose, users were presented with a micro-world in an initial state and given the task of bringing about a target state. The sobering findings on performance in such tasks sparked a long debate about complex problem-solving skills and the use of micro-worlds as psychological diagnostic tools .

Personnel selection and development: Microworlds are often used in the context of personnel selection in addition to other methods such as intelligence tests or interviews. Since it is often unethical or impractical to test applicants' skills on real problems, computer simulations must serve this purpose. Personnel development measures can also be implemented with the help of micro-worlds. Prime examples of this are flight and vehicle simulations, in which special maneuvers can be practiced or new controls can be tested. Basically, most of the scenarios are used for both personnel selection and personnel development.

Computer science: Microworlds are used in computer science to facilitate the learning of programming languages. The micro-world can be influenced by entering the correct programming commands. The graphical user interface provides immediate feedback on whether the command was entered correctly. This makes micro-worlds in computer science particularly suitable for beginners of a programming language. A well-known example from this area is the Java hamster, which is to be guided through a maze using commands.

criticism

Critics cite three weaknesses in the micro-worlds in particular:

Lack of objectivity : problematically, the behavior of the user in the initial stage influences the subsequent course of the simulation. This means that in later rounds the individual users deal with very different situations. The end result is therefore no longer comparable between users. However, in most micro-worlds, only the end result is used to assess performance, but not the way to get there. With many micro-worlds it is often not even clear what the optimal solution will look like. This means that there is no reliable benchmark for performance evaluation. The performance of one user can only be compared relatively with that of others.

Lack of ecological validity : Despite the attempt to “bringreality into the computer” ( Dietrich Dörner , 2007), it is still questionable to what extent the performance of processing a micro-world can be transferred to everyday life. For example, many micro-worlds are compressed in time. Developments that would take much longer in reality take place in direct reaction to the input of the user. The biggest difference, however, is the motivation of the users. In reality, the failure of the person responsible can mean catastrophic consequences for all concerned. It is difficult to imagine that doing poorly in a micro-world can create the same level of tension in the user.

Lack of reliability : The measurement accuracy of the micro-worlds has often not been well investigated. This can be explained, among other things, by the long processing time. Furthermore, the determination of the measurement accuracy is made more difficult by the lack of objectivity of the micro-worlds. Where the measurement accuracy has been checked, the results are usually rather unsatisfactory.

literature

  • Dietrich Dörner: Problem solving as information processing. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 1976, ISBN 3-17-001353-X .
  • Dietrich Dörner: The logic of failure: strategic thinking in complex situations (6th edition ed. Vol. 61578: rororo-science) . Rowohlt, Reinbek near Hamburg 2007, ISBN 978-3-499-61578-8 .
  • Joachim Funke : Problem-solving thinking (1st ed.). Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-17-017425-8 .
  • Heinz-Martin Süß: Intelligence, knowledge and problem solving. Cognitive prerequisites for successful action in computer-simulated problems. Hogrefe, Göttingen 1996, ISBN 978-3-8017-1089-7 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ B. Brehmer & D. Dörner: Experiments with computer-simulated microworlds: Escaping both the narrow straits of the laboratory and the deep blue sea of ​​the field study. Computers in Human Behavior, 9 (2-3), 1993, pp. 171-184.
  2. ^ A b D. Wagener: Psychological diagnostics with complex scenarios - taxonomy, development, evaluation. Pabst Science Publishers, Lengerich 2001.
  3. ↑ D. Dörner: Problem solving as information processing. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 1976, ISBN 3-17-001353-X .
  4. ↑ D. Dörner: The logic of failure: strategic thinking in complex situations (6th ed. Ed. Vol. 61578: rororo-science) . Rowohlt, Reinbek near Hamburg 2007, ISBN 978-3-499-61578-8 .
  5. ↑ Lohhausen: The classic among the complex problems blog by Joachim Funke ; University of Heidelberg
  6. ^ W. Putz-Osterloh: About the relationship between test intelligence and problem-solving success. [The relation between test intelligence and problem solving success.]. Journal of Psychology with Journal of Applied Psychology, 189 (1), 1981, pp. 79-100.
  7. ↑ a b c J. Funke: Problem-solving thinking. , Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-17-017425-8 .
  8. ^ A b Heinz-Martin Süß: Intelligence, Knowledge and Problem Solving. Cognitive prerequisites for successful action in computer-simulated problems. Hogrefe, Göttingen 1996, ISBN 978-3-8017-1089-7 .
  9. ^ Funke, J. (2010). Complex problem solving: a case for complex cognition? Cognitive Processing, 11, 133-142. doi : 10.1007 / s10339-009-0345-0
  10. ↑ Danner, D., Hagemann, D., Schankin, A., Hager, M., & Funke, J. (2011). Beyond IQ: A latent state-trait analysis of general intelligence, dynamic decision making, and implicit learning. Intelligence, 39, 323-334. doi : 10.1016 / j.intell.2011.06.004
  11. ↑ S. Strohschneider: On the stability and validity of action in complex areas of reality. Language & Cognition, 5 (1), 1986, pp. 42-48.
  12. ↑ Everywhere Tanaland , DER SPIEGEL 21/1975
  13. ↑ Impact Games: Peacemaker Game. 2008. Retrieved from http://www.peacemakergame.com .
  14. ^ Dietrich Dörner: Diagnostics of operational intelligence. In: Diagnostica , No. 32, 1986, pp. 290-308
  15. ↑ Suess, H.-M. (1999). Intelligence and complex problem solving: Perspectives for cooperation between differential psychometric and cognitive psychological research. Psychological Rundschau, 50 (4), 220–228. doi : 10.1026 // 0033-3042.50.4.220
  16. ↑ U. Funke (1995): Scenarios in aptitude diagnostics and in personal training. In B. Strauss & M. Kleinmann (eds.): Computer-simulated scenarios in personnel work. Verlag für Angewandte Psychologie, Göttingen, pp. 145–216.
  17. ^ R. Romeike & D. Reichert: PicoCrickets as access to computer science in elementary school. Informatik in Bildung und Beruf, 14, 2001, pp. 177–186.