The paper discusses a number of issues concerning the practical usefulness of cognitive psychology research, and presents a case study of pilot training methods to illustrate a model of research processes that produces outcomes which contribute to both basic and applied research goals. Research studies are described as varying in the degree to which they include reviews of the literature, present practical conclusions, select and manipulate variables based on convenience or bias, or add to the existing body of knowledge. The following research strategy is recommended: identify application set; determine common dimensions; create complex generic laboratory task to test the theoretical hypothesis; perform experiment; form theoretical conclusion; validate conclusion and task; and list applications. This strategy is illustrated in detail with a case study. The case study describes flight training of aircraft pilots, with emphasis on their attention to multiple visual stimuli. (GDC)