ABSTRACT
According to Bales and Strodtbeck's (1951) phase theorem, "[problem solv ers] go through certain stages or phases in the process of solving prob lems, [and] ... problem-solving would somehow be more effective if some prescribed order were followed" (p. 485). Summarizing the studies that tested the validity of the phase theorem, Nutt (1984) concluded that "the se quence of problem definition, alternative generation, refinement, and selec tion, called for by nearly every theorist, seems rooted in rational argu ments, not behavior" (p. 446). This conclusion is consistent with studies of naturalistic decision making that show that decision making is driven by sit uation assessment and recursive information search and option generation (Klein, Orasanu, Calderwood, & Zsambok, 1993).
