ERIC Number: ED064110
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1971-Jul
Pages: 16
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Behavioral Science Adequacy for Purposes of Design. V Youpoint.
Grace, Harry A.
Designers who consult behavioral scientists may tend to consider them either omnipotent or impotent because the term "behavioral science" has no clear referents. There are confusions in the meaning of "behavior" that can influence the designer's acceptance of the behavioral scientist's advice: he must beware of confusing the need for an enduring habit and the need for a unique response, both of which are "behaviors." Similarly, there is no necessary connection between the alternate modes of behaving, actions and thought. The scientific aspect of these studies invokes conflicts between designers and behavioral scientists concerning the nature of evidence to be considered. There are also differences between different behavioral scientists regarding the acceptability of evidence and instrumentation. Currently behavioral science has limited competence to advise designers. There are adequate bases for decisions involving middle class, middle-size aggregates of persons, but not for the extremes of class, wealth, or population size. These considerations affect all four prevalent styles of consulting between designers and behavioral scientists: the magical, where the designer does not understand the methods or results; the evangelical, where the consultant expects the designer to accept the advice or accept the consequences; the judicial, where an established design is critiqued; and the partnership, where both parties work together from the beginning of a project. (AL)
Grace Associates, 609 19th Street, Santa Monica, California
Publication Type: N/A
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: N/A
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A