Individual differences and subgroups within populations: the shopping bag approach.
The aerospace medical research community needs to consider the individual as something other than a statistical entity. The cumulative effects of performance enhancers that are collectively ignored, secondary to statistical analysis of populations, can be significant for individuals. By considering the individual, all aspects of whatever makes humans unique need to be integrated into research. One suggested remedy to the problem of subordination of the individual to the population mean/standard deviation is the use of a "shopping bag" approach. In this approach, each individual may select those performance enhancers that work best for him or her (based on controlled studies). Acceleration protection devices are used as an example. The impact of this philosophy can be readily seen in human factor design strategy as well as in the interpretation of human research data.
Popper
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Escape and Impact Protection Branch, Armstrong Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH.
McCloskey
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D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D006804:Ergonomics; D005221:Fatigue / Q000097:blood; D005676:Gravity Suits; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007773:Lactates / Q000097:blood; D019344:Lactic Acid; D011482:Protective Devices; D012106:Research; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
D007773:Lactates; D019344:Lactic Acid