| Affiliations: | College of Sciences |
| Team Leader: |
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| Faculty Mentor: |
Mustapha Mouloua, PhD
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Team Size:
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10 |
| Open Spots: | 5 |
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Team Member Qualifications:
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Perferred: Ability to work online with structure. CITI training done or willingness to complete it upon acceptance. Required: Human Subjects Research- Group 2. Social/ Behavioral Research Investigators and Key Personnel. Research and HIPPAA Privacy Protections. |
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Description:
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This is a well-designed study proposal examining how neurodivergent individuals (those with ADHD, dyslexia, or strong visual-spatial abilities) organize digital files compared to neurotypical users. The research investigates whether different cognitive profiles align with different organizational paradigms, spatial/piling, hierarchical/filing, flat/search-based, or hybrid approaches. The study hypothesizes that individuals with ADHD may prefer spatial organization due to working memory considerations, while those with dyslexia or visual-spatial strengths may favor visual approaches over text-heavy hierarchical systems. A key question is whether current file management systems systematically disadvantage neurodivergent users by forcing paradigms misaligned with their cognitive strengths. Using 240 participants across four groups, the methodology employs visual stimuli of organizational paradigms, NASA-TLX cognitive load ratings, and preference assessments. The theoretical contribution extends cognitive fit theory to file management, reframing the question from "how can neurodivergent users adapt" to "how might systems accommodate cognitive diversity. |