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Human Search Research

What can you learn from an Easter Egg hunt?

 

This research focused on human search behavior in an outdoor environment and how it compared to human search behavior on screens, cognitive search behavior and VR search behavior.

My Role

  • Research Assistant

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Methods

  • Experimental Design

  • Human Subjects Observation

  • Use of tools to observe behavior

  • Quantitative Research

  • Literature Review

Time

  • August 2019 - May 2020

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Humans use search behavior in a variety of tasks including visual search, virtual search, memory recall and physical foraging. Most cognitive processes are considered search behavior. The reason we researched search behavior is because it can offer insights as to how humans search for things in their environment and the type of cognitive processes that arise during search behavior.

Our Goal

To measure human foraging in a real-world outdoor environment using GPS tracking and a GoPro camera in order to understand how this behavior compared to other types of searching as well as examine how different factors, such as clustered resources and unclustered resources affected search behavior.

Pre-experimental steps

Our team read through and wrote a review on the existing research in the area of human and animal foraging and search.

Gather Research

We designed an experiment by building upon past research using research methods for experimental design

Design Experiment

We obtained IRB certification and approval through the necessary courses and proposals submitted to the review board.

Obtained Approval

Experimental Overview

Participants collected plastic eggs for ten minutes outside of the Hewitt Quad, a low traffic area of the SUNY Oswego campus. While they collected plastic eggs they wore a GoPro camera on their head and carried a phone with GPS tracking app. Using the data from the phone and the GoPro, we mapped the path participants took. Eggs were either arranged in a clustered distribution or a uniform distribution. This data allowed us to analyze the way that people search for items in an outdoor environment and compare this to how they perform search on screen and mental search.

Uniform Layout

OfficalUniform.png

Clustered Layout

OfficialClustered.png

Challenges

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  • Unpredictable weather

    • Rain, snow, and cold​ often made it necessary to cancel data gathering

  • Students stealing eggs

    • Many students stole eggs when they passed by​

  • Squirrels chewing through eggs

    • The squirrels really liked the plastic eggs​

  • The Covid 19 Pandemic

    • This proposed the largest challenge. Once Spring break happened most of the students were not able to come back to school, and all human subjects research was prohibited. In the meantime we analyzed what data we had gathered and worked on the introduction to the paper. However, the pandemic prevented the team from finishing the research. There are plans for it to continue when possible; however, I graduated and will not be able to assist the team with finishing research.

One of the eggs the squirrel chewed

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Reflection

This research allowed me to build upon and apply many skills that I had developed in classes. I learned how to read and evaluate large quantities of research efficiently, while I also learned how to collaborate with others when designing and executing an experiment. It allowed for the opportunity to apply what I had learned previously about experimental design and research methods. This experience was also valuable because it allowed me to learn how to gather research with human participants and the challenges associated. While it is disappointing that I didn't get the chance to finish and publish this research due to the pandemic, it was still a valuable experience to be a part of.

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