ABSTRACT
We have seen that performance research embraces many seemingly disparate topics, ranging from sensorimotor reflexes to the social psychology of organisations. How can this diversity be integrated within a coherent disciplinary framework? We have argued throughout this book that understanding performance requires appreciation of several levels of discourse. It is a truism, though, that different types of explanation are appropriate for different problems, and coherence requires that we advance beyond this simple recognition. To integrate, we must first discriminate. We proposed in the first chapter that the three levels of explanation proposed by the “classical theory” of cognitive science provide a suitable framework for performance studies. The distinction between neural, cognitive-architectural and knowledge levels allows us to place the many aspects of performance studies within a common framework. Furthermore, although the “classical theory” of cognitive science originated in somewhat technical AI research, it may also serve to guide practice in real-world applications. In both theoretical and applied contexts, the cognitive science framework demands that we are explicit about the level of description required.
