[Sigia-l] Questioning common test scripting

[joel boonstra]

On Tue, Jun 10, 2003 at 11:19:42AM +1000, InfoArchitect wrote:
<snip>
> Unfortunately, this technique is inconsistent with the research of 
> Wegner (1994) who has shown that "not thinking" about certain things 
> can be taxing, if not impossible when specifically directed.  The part 
> of his research that interests me is his famous "White Bear" challenge 
> (often used as a child's joke).    He directed his subjects to NOT 
> think of a white bear.  Wegner found that thought suppression actually 
> increases the likelihood of thinking about the suppressed image and 
> can extract an autonomic cost.  The subjects could not help but 
> immediately visualise the white bear.

One major difference between Wegner's test and a usability test is that
Wegner's subjects had no reason to think about a white bear.  He simply
popped that (probably incongruous) image into his subjects' minds.

Usability test participants, however, may well be thinking they're being
tested, or at least feel that way.  Simply telling them that they aren't
being tested wouldn't suddenly put such thoughts in their mind, it
doesn't seem.

Perhaps saying "you are not being tested" isn't the best way of allaying
such fears, but I don't see that it would have the same effect as
Wegner's white bears do.

joel

-- 
> Leo: Once again, it's a rotten week for romance in the office, which is
  too bad, as you are self-employed and work from home
  (http://www.theonion.com/)