Applied Experimental Psychology: Examples of the Kinds of Questions Asked, and Experiments Done, When the Focus Changes from Theory to Application

The research covered in the preceding chapters of experimental content was theory driven. It offered an opportunity to examine the logic of drawing conclusions about the validity of theoretical ideas, and to become acquainted with the use of surrogate variables. In the present chapter we change the focus from theory-driven research to applied research. As a concrete example, we look at research designed to ease the task of a computer user searching through computer menus.