Microfoundations of Adaptive Search in Complex Tasks: The Role of Cognitive Abilities and Styles

Bergenholtz, Carsten; Vuculescu, Oana; Amidi, Ali · 2023 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2023.1654

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

Get this paper ↗ (DOI — opens at the source; we link to it, we don't host it)

Summary

This study investigates the cognitive antecedents of adaptive search behavior in complex problem-solving tasks, addressing a gap in organizational literature regarding how individual heterogeneity influences search processes. While prior research established that individuals adapt their search strategies based on feedback—engaging in local search after positive feedback and distant search after negative feedback—these findings largely relied on simple decision-making tasks. The authors argue that complex tasks, characterized by interdependent options and opaque structures, impose different cognitive demands than simple tasks, potentially rendering previous insights on cognitive drivers like working memory inapplicable. Consequently, the paper aims to identify which specific cognitive styles and abilities shape search persistence and distance in complex environments. To address this, the researchers conducted three laboratory studies involving 335 participants who solved a game-based, combinatorial task designed to mimic complex organizational problems with near-decomposable structures. The experimental design coupled behavioral data on search actions (local vs. distant) with survey-based measurements of cognitive styles (creativity and attention to detail) and performance-based tests of cognitive abilities (executive functions and working memory). Additionally, semi-structured interviews with 40 participants were conducted to validate the quantitative coding of search behaviors. This approach allowed for a precise mapping of how distinct cognitive microfoundations influence the navigation of a large, interdependent search space. The results demonstrate systematic heterogeneity in search behavior driven by specific cognitive traits. Regarding cognitive styles, individuals with high "attention to detail" were significantly more likely to engage in local search, whereas those with high "creativity" were less likely to do so, favoring distant search instead. In terms of cognitive abilities, higher executive functioning—the capacity to understand novel problems, adapt to feedback, and persistently pursue goals—was positively associated with local search and reduced likelihood of quickly switching strategies upon receiving negative feedback. Notably, contrary to findings in simpler decision-making contexts, working memory did not significantly predict search behavior in this complex setting. These findings provide significant theoretical and practical implications for understanding organizational search. Theoretically, the study highlights that complex tasks elicit distinct cognitive processes, challenging the generalizability of results from simple decision-making paradigms. It identifies executive functions as a critical microfoundation for persistent search in complex environments, offering a more realistic behavioral assumption for simulation models than the homogeneous local-search assumptions often used in NK simulations. Practically, the results suggest that managers can more effectively shape organizational search by recognizing how individual cognitive styles and abilities influence problem-solving strategies, thereby optimizing team composition and search conditions for complex innovation challenges.

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed.

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-26; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• cognitive capacity variation