scholarly journals Exploring the Utility of Subjective Workload Measures for Capturing Dual Task Resource Loading

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 1681-1685
Author(s):  
Gabrielle Vasquez ◽  
Rhyse Bendell ◽  
Andrew Talone ◽  
Florian Jentsch
Keyword(s):  
Signal Detection ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Auditory Task ◽  
Specific Task ◽  
Secondary Tasks ◽  
Dual Tasking ◽  
Nasa Tlx ◽  
Task Trial ◽  
The Impact

Our goal was to investigate the impact of dual-tasking on perceived workload, and to study the sensitivity of existing workload measures to components of primary and secondary tasks. Past research has investigated the impact of dual-tasking but has rarely compared the NASA-TLX and the Multiple Resources Questionnaire (MRQ). We made comparisons between workload measures completed after execution of a single-task trial (signal detection task) as compared to a dual-task trial (signal detection accompanied by a secondary auditory task). Special attention was given to comparing the results from the NASA-TLX and the MRQ, along with investigating the sensitivity of the MRQ to specific task components. Facets of the MRQ were analyzed to explore their sensitivity to specific task loading. Results indicate that while both measures reliably registered a change in workload, the MRQ was more sensitive to the source of the change and presented a more holistic picture of cognitive demands.

scholarly journals Balancing the Demands of Two Tasks: An Investigation of Cognitive–Motor Dual-Tasking in Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Butchard-MacDonald ◽  
Lorna Paul ◽  
Jonathan J. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Postural Stability ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Dual Tasking ◽  
Stable Surface ◽  
Relapsing Remitting ◽  
Task Conditions ◽  
Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBackground:People with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (PwRRMS) suffer disproportionate decrements in gait under dual-task conditions, when walking and a cognitive task are combined. There has been much less investigation of the impact of cognitive demands on balance.Objectives:This study investigated whether: (1) PwRRMS show disproportionate decrements in postural stability under dual-task conditions compared to healthy controls, and (2) dual-task decrements are associated with everyday dual-tasking difficulties. The impact of mood, fatigue, and disease severity on dual-tasking was also examined.Methods:A total of 34 PwRRMS and 34 matched controls completed cognitive (digit span) and balance (movement of center of pressure on Biosway on stable and unstable surfaces) tasks under single- and dual-task conditions. Everyday dual-tasking was measured using the Dual-Tasking Questionnaire. Mood was measured by the Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale. Fatigue was measuredviathe Modified Fatigue Index Scale.Results:No differences in age, gender, years of education, estimated pre-morbid IQ, or baseline digit span between groups. Compared with controls, PwRRMS showed significantly greater decrement in postural stability under dual-task conditions on an unstable surface (p=.007), but not a stable surface (p=.679). Balance decrement scores were not correlated with everyday dual-tasking difficulties or fatigue. Stable surface balance decrement scores were significantly associated with levels of anxiety (rho=0.527;p=.001) and depression (rho=0.451;p=.007).Conclusions:RRMS causes dual-tasking difficulties, impacting balance under challenging conditions, which may contribute to increased risk of gait difficulties and falls. The relationship between anxiety/depression and dual-task decrement suggests that emotional factors may be contributing to dual-task difficulties. (JINS, 2018,24, 247–258)

Origami folding: Memory load effects on acquisition of sequential skills.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Zhao ◽  
Robert Gaschler ◽  
Anneli Kneschke ◽  
Simon Radler ◽  
Melanie Gausmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Learning Curve ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Motor Memory ◽  
Secondary Tasks ◽  
Task Load ◽  
Visuospatial Sketchpad ◽  
Load Effects ◽  
The Impact

Cognitive and motor memory loads can affect sequential skills. Differentiating the execution and the acquisition of sequential skills, we studied the impact of cognitive or motoric dual-task loads on performance in Origami folding and changes with practice. Participants (N = 53) folded five Origami figures for four times each, which were randomly paired with five types of secondary tasks to cause either cognitive (verbal vs. visuospatial) or motoric (isochronous vs. nonisochronous tapping) memory load or none (control condition). Origami performance showed a typical learning curve from Repetition 1 to Repetition 4. We observed a dissociation between variants of dual-task load influencing Origami folding performance vs. the variants influencing learning (i.e. change in performance across the four repetitions). In particular, the learning of Origami folding was only interfered by the memory load of the cognitive visuospatial secondary task as well as by the isochronous tapping secondary task. This might be due to the use of visuospatial sketchpad and absolute timing mechanism during the acquisition of Origami folding. The performance of Origami folding was moderated by the isochronous tapping secondary task.

Dual-Task Conditions on Static Postural Control in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Luca Petrigna ◽  
Ambra Gentile ◽  
Diba Mani ◽  
Simona Pajaujiene ◽  
Tobia Zanotto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Postural Control ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Standard Operating Procedure ◽  
Secondary Tasks ◽  
Time Discrimination ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Task Conditions ◽  
The Impact

Dual-task (DT) consists of the performance of two tasks simultaneously. An index of DT difficulty has been linked to decreased postural control. Because a wide range of DT is employed, this study aimed to evaluate its effects in static balance in older adults. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were screened, and the secondary tasks were grouped as manual, reaction time, discrimination and decision making, mental tracking, verbal fluency, working memory, or “other” tasks. A total of 66 studies have been included. The meta-analysis was conducted on 28 effects and showed a significant mean effect size of d = 0.24 (p = .02, SE = 0.10; confidence interval [0.04, 0.44]), indicating a worsening in stability during DT. In conclusion, postural control was worsened by the Stroop test and the arithmetic tasks improved it. The results do not underpin any conclusive statement on the impact of DT, and a standard operating procedure was created.

scholarly journals Combining tDCS With a Motor-Cognitive Task to Reduce the Negative Impact of Dual-Tasking on the Gait of Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 287-288
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Hausdorff ◽  
Nofar Schneider ◽  
Marina Brozgol ◽  
Pablo Cornejo Thumm ◽  
Nir Giladi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Gait Speed ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Virtual Reality Environment ◽  
Dual Tasking ◽  
Concurrent Performance ◽  
Dual Task Cost

Abstract The simultaneous performance of a secondary task while walking (i.e., dual tasking) increases motor-cognitive interference and fall risk in older adults. Combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with the concurrent performance of a task that putatively involves the same brain networks targeted by the tDCS may reduce the negative impact of dual-tasking on walking. We examined whether tDCS applied while walking reduces the dual-task costs to gait and whether this combination is better than tDCS alone or walking alone (with sham stimulation). In 25 healthy older adults (aged 75.7±10.5yrs), a double-blind, within-subject, cross-over pilot study evaluated the acute after-effects of 20 minutes of tDCS targeting the primary motor cortex and the dorsal lateral pre frontal cortex during three separate sessions:1) tDCS while walking on a treadmill in a virtual-reality environment (tDCS+walking), 2) tDCS while seated (tDCS+seated), and 3) walking in the virtual-reality environment with sham tDCS (sham+walking). The complex walking condition taxed motor and cognitive abilities. During each session, single- and dual-task walking and cognitive function were assessed before and immediately after stimulation. Compared to pre-tDCS performance, tDCS+walking reduced the dual-task cost to gait speed (p=0.004) and other gait features (e.g., variability p=0.02), and improved (p<0.001) executive function (Stroop interference score). tDCS+seated and sham+walking did not affect the dual-task cost to gait speed (p>0.17). These initial findings demonstrate that tDCS delivered during challenging walking ameliorates dual-task gait and executive function in older adults, suggesting that the concurrent performance of related tasks enhances the efficacy of the neural stimulation and mobility.

“I think Canadians look like all sorts of people”: ethnicity, political leadership, and the case of Jagmeet Singh

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-32
Author(s):  
Joanie Bouchard
Keyword(s):  
Political Behavior ◽  
Political Leadership ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Vote Choice ◽  
Party Leader ◽  
Political Leaders ◽  
Party Leaders ◽  
Sociodemographic Profile ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Voting Intentions

Abstract Research into the impact of a politician's sociodemographic profile on vote choice in Westminster-style systems has been hindered by the relative sociodemographic homogeneity of party leaders. Past research has focused mainly on the evaluation of local candidates in the American context, but given that elections in plurality systems are far less candidate-oriented , the evaluation of local candidates tells us little about the prevalence of affinity or discrimination in other contexts. This article investigates the effect of political leaders' ethnicity on political behavior by looking at the case of Jagmeet Singh in Canada, the first federal party leader of color in the country's history. While the literature has shown that the gender of leaders in Canada can matter, little is known about the attitudes of Canadians toward party leaders of color specifically. We are interested in the evaluations of Singh and his party, as well as the shifts in voting intentions between elections in 2015 and 2019. We uncover affinity-based behaviors from individuals who identify as Sikh, as well as a negative reception of Singh's candidacy in Quebec.

scholarly journals The impact of predictability on dual-task performance and implications for resource-sharing accounts

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Broeker ◽  
Harald Ewolds ◽  
Rita F. de Oliveira ◽  
Stefan Künzell ◽  
Markus Raab
Keyword(s):  
Resource Allocation ◽  
Task Performance ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Resource Sharing ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Allocation Policy ◽  
Capacity Sharing ◽  
Dual Task Performance ◽  
Sound Sequence ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe aim of this study was to examine the impact of predictability on dual-task performance by systematically manipulating predictability in either one of two tasks, as well as between tasks. According to capacity-sharing accounts of multitasking, assuming a general pool of resources two tasks can draw upon, predictability should reduce the need for resources and allow more resources to be used by the other task. However, it is currently not well understood what drives resource-allocation policy in dual tasks and which resource allocation policies participants pursue. We used a continuous tracking task together with an audiomotor task and manipulated advance visual information about the tracking path in the first experiment and a sound sequence in the second experiments (2a/b). Results show that performance predominantly improved in the predictable task but not in the unpredictable task, suggesting that participants did not invest more resources into the unpredictable task. One possible explanation was that the re-investment of resources into another task requires some relationship between the tasks. Therefore, in the third experiment, we covaried the two tasks by having sounds 250 ms before turning points in the tracking curve. This enabled participants to improve performance in both tasks, suggesting that resources were shared better between tasks.

scholarly journals Meaning Matters: Self-Perceived Meaning in Life, Its Predictors and Psychological Stressors Associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 50
Author(s):  
Ashley Humphrey ◽  
Olivia Vari
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Negative Life Events ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Coping Resources ◽  
Life Meaning ◽  
Life Orientation ◽  
Psychological Stressors ◽  
The Impact

Past research has found that a perceived meaning in life can act as a protective factor against adverse mental health symptomology, while also providing coping resources to buffer against the impact of negative life events. The current research investigated how the impact of self-perceived meaning in life as well as its predictors interact with stressors and worry related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected survey based data (n = 260) from Australian participants during the pandemic, measuring their meaning in life, orientation to differing life goals and COVID-19 related stressors via the impact of events scale. We found that meaning in life predicted less stress and worry associated with COVID-19. We also found that intrinsic based aspirations related positively to meaning in life within this context whereas extrinsic based goals related negatively to it, although these aspirations were not significant in reducing the stressors associated with COVID-19. These results reinforce past findings that meaning in life can effectively buffer against the impact of negative life events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. They also suggest that intrinsic based aspirations centred on relationships and self-acceptance may be an important mechanism in how people choose to pursue life meaning during uncertain life events.

scholarly journals The impact of late-career job loss and genetic risk on body mass index: Evidence from variance polygenic scores

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren L. Schmitz ◽  
Julia Goodwin ◽  
Jiacheng Miao ◽  
Qiongshi Lu ◽  
Dalton Conley
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Complex Traits ◽  
Job Loss ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Polygenic Scores ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

AbstractUnemployment shocks from the COVID-19 pandemic have reignited concerns over the long-term effects of job loss on population health. Past research has highlighted the corrosive effects of unemployment on health and health behaviors. This study examines whether the effects of job loss on changes in body mass index (BMI) are moderated by genetic predisposition using data from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (HRS). To improve detection of gene-by-environment (G × E) interplay, we interacted layoffs from business closures—a plausibly exogenous environmental exposure—with whole-genome polygenic scores (PGSs) that capture genetic contributions to both the population mean (mPGS) and variance (vPGS) of BMI. Results show evidence of genetic moderation using a vPGS (as opposed to an mPGS) and indicate genome-wide summary measures of phenotypic plasticity may further our understanding of how environmental stimuli modify the distribution of complex traits in a population.

Learning of across- and within-task contingencies modulates partial-repetition costs in dual-tasking

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lasse Pelzer ◽  
Christoph Naefgen ◽  
Robert Gaschler ◽  
Hilde Haider
Keyword(s):  
Dual Task ◽  
Discrimination Task ◽  
Experimental Approach ◽  
Feature Binding ◽  
Dual Tasking ◽  
Single Task ◽  
Task Set ◽  
Task Processing ◽  
Tone Discrimination ◽  
Task Sets

AbstractDual-task costs might result from confusions on the task-set level as both tasks are not represented as distinct task-sets, but rather being integrated into a single task-set. This suggests that events in the two tasks are stored and retrieved together as an integrated memory episode. In a series of three experiments, we tested for such integrated task processing and whether it can be modulated by regularities between the stimuli of the two tasks (across-task contingencies) or by sequential regularities within one of the tasks (within-task contingencies). Building on the experimental approach of feature binding in action control, we tested whether the participants in a dual-tasking experiment will show partial-repetition costs: they should be slower when only the stimulus in one of the two tasks is repeated from Trial n − 1 to Trial n than when the stimuli in both tasks repeat. In all three experiments, the participants processed a visual-manual and an auditory-vocal tone-discrimination task which were always presented concurrently. In Experiment 1, we show that retrieval of Trial n − 1 episodes is stable across practice if the stimulus material is drawn randomly. Across-task contingencies (Experiment 2) and sequential regularities within a task (Experiment 3) can compete with n − 1-based retrieval leading to a reduction of partial-repetition costs with practice. Overall the results suggest that participants do not separate the processing of the two tasks, yet, within-task contingencies might reduce integrated task processing.

The Effect of Vocal Alarms on Operator Mistrust

2000 ◽  
Vol 44 (22) ◽  
pp. 694-697
Author(s):  
James P. Bliss ◽  
Freida Kilpatrick
Keyword(s):  
Past Research ◽  
Primary Task ◽  
Duty To Warn ◽  
Complex Information ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Operator Workload

The use of alarms has increased in many operational areas because of increased reliance on automation and the duty to warn about system anomalies. Past research has supported the use of verbal alarms for relaying complex information. However, researchers have not considered the impact of vocal alarms on operator trust. In this research, 56 participants reacted to auditory alarms while performing a complex primary task. Half of the participants experienced vocal alarms, and the others experienced nonvocal alarms. Contrary to expectations, we noted that participants reacted to nonverbal alarms more quickly than verbal alarms. Furthermore, participants responded to verbal alarms more often than verbal alarms. We also noted that verbal alarms interfered with the primary task more than nonverbal alarms. We suggest that alarm designers alter verbal alarm onset algorithms during high operator workload.

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