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Assorted Notes

Theories​

By definition Theories obscure some phenomena and exalt a few others. This is just how it is. So the correct choice of theory is of a lot of importance!

Also: words used in theories do not map to real world things. “Decision-making” is different for example: in some theory, this means that there was some optimal decision to begin with; i.e. it prioritizes a normative view. Another is “sensemaking”. This is not what you think it is. There’s a rigorous definition in cognitive science. You need to be aware of this.

Frameworks and theories: there are cases where either is a subset of either.

“Unanticipated consequences” is an example of concept synthesis. This was used to describe the negative impact of EHR on clinical practice.

Don’t just start with theories. Start with a study. Understand people and the data before you start theorizing.

Some Motivation Theories (“Why don’t people come in to work more often?”)

  • Bandura
  • Self-Motivation Theory

Hutchins and cockpits: Pilots converted from Cognitive → Perceptual Tasks. Led to theory of Distributed Cognition: Cognition doesn’t simply exist in someone’s mind; they offload cognition to objects in the world around them. (Person + Objects in World) = Cognitive system.

TODO:

  • Constructs, Concepts, Variables, Operationalization
  • Propagation of representations (think of how patient data flows through a system; how is it represented?)
  • “Cognition in a Vial” - Hutchins

Activity Theory​

If you saw some tribesman beating a bush in isolation that would seem like a pointless activity. But if you zoomed out and saw that he’s helping his mates hunt wild boar? Aha! In AT, the unit of analysis is an activity where you focus on the structure of the activity: who are the subjects, objects, and community/context? What are the relationships?

Situation Awareness​

S.Awareness(Perceive → Comprehend → Project) → Decide → Perform

You want to prevent people from getting hit in the head at the stadium? What’s an informatics intervention to design? This theory can help you break down the problem.

Effses​

Efficacy and Effectivness are two different but related things. The former deals with intervention outcomes under some ‘ideal’ or controlled conditions (think RCTs). The latter is when the intervention is deployed into the world. The gap between the two is a well-known thing.

The efficacy-effectiveness (EE) gap describes the differences in survival seen in clinical trials and routine clinical practice, where patients in real-world practice often have inferior outcomes compared to trial populations.

Sidenote: Experimental studies allow us to deal with confounders better than observational studies.