People: Faculty
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Cleotilde (Coty) Gonzalez
 Associate Research Professor Ph.D.: Texas Tech University Office: PH 223C Phone: (412) 268-6242 Fax: (412) 268-6938 View personal website Centers Center for Behavioral Decision Research View list of all SDS faculty |
Research Interests We accomplish long term goals by making series of multiple decisions over time. The dynamic nature of our surroundings and the interdependencies among the decisions we make result in complicated decision conditions, called dynamic decision making (DDM). Research in my laboratory, DDMLab, focuses on the study of the psychology of DDM. We are currently interested in understanding the process of learning in DDM. Because multiple and interrelated decisions occur over time and because we continuously pursue goals, we have a constant opportunity to learn from our past. But, how and what do we learn with experience? And, what is the role of feedback in this learning process? Our research has demonstrated that in dynamic situations individuals' decision making is only approximate to an optimal solution and that improved decision making occurs only after extended practice. In dynamic situations experience is a key decision making mechanism. But, how does experience influence our decisions? What kinds of experiences would produce better performance and better adaptation? How does experience transfer to new situations? How can we help people learn better? These are the questions I am committed to answer. For graduate students and other applicants interested in my work, please go to the DDMLab for more information. Selected Journal Publications Cronin, M., Gonzalez, C. & Sterman, J. (2008). Why don't well-educated adults understand accumulation? A Challenge to researchers, educators and citizens. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. Gonzalez, C., & Thomas, R. (2008) Effects of automatic detection on dynamic decision making. Journal of Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making. Gonzalez, C., & Vrbin, C. (2007). Learning in MEDIC: A Dynamic Simulation of Medical Diagnosis. In Holzinger, A. (Ed.). Usability & HCI for Medicine and Health Care. 3rd Symposium of the Austrian Computer Society. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Vol. 4799. ISBN: 978-3-540-76804-3. Cronin, M. & Gonzalez, C. (2007). Understanding the building blocks of systems dynamics. System Dynamics Review, 23(1), 1-17. Gonzalez C. (2005). Decision support for real-time dynamic decision making tasks. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 96, 142-154. Gonzalez, C. (2005). Task workload and cognitive abilities in dynamic decision making. Human Factors, 47(1), 92-101. Gonzalez, C. (2004) Learning to make decisions in dynamic environments: Effects of time constraints and cognitive abilities.Human Factors, 46(3), 449-460. Gonzalez, C., Lerch, F.J., & Lebiere, C. (2003). Instance-based learning in dynamic decision making. Cognitive Science, 27, 591-635. Selected Book Chapters Gonzalez, C., & Lebiere, C. (2005). "Instance-based cognitive models of decision making. In Zizzo, D., & Courakis, A. (Eds.)". Transfer of knowledge in economic decision making. McMillan. Gonzalez, C., & Kasper, G. (1999). "Animation in user interfaces. Chapter 3, in Kenneth E. Kendall (Ed)". Emerging information technologies: Improving decisions, cooperation and infrastructure. SAGE Publications. |