Expertise and Age Effects on Pilot Mental Workload in a Simulated Aviation Task

1996 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 133-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald L. Lassiter ◽  
Daniel G. Morrow ◽  
Gary E. Hinson ◽  
Michael Miller ◽  
David Z. Hambrick
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Choice Reaction Time ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Mental Workload ◽  
Reaction Time Task ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cognitive Resources ◽  
Within Subjects ◽  
Two Measures

This study investigated the effects of expertise and age on cognitive resources relevant to mental workload of pilots engaged in simulated aviation tasks. A secondary task workload assessment methodology was used, with a PC-based flying task as the primary task, and a Sternberg choice reaction time task as the secondary task. A mixed design using repeated measures was employed, with age and expertise as between-subjects factors and workload as the within-subjects factor. Pilots ranging in age from 21 to 79 years and 28 to 11,817 hours of flight time served as subjects. Of interest was whether expertise would mitigate the adverse effect of aging on pilots' mental workload handling ability as defined by two measures of secondary task performance: choice reaction time and accuracy. Results indicated that expertise did mitigate the effects of age regarding secondary task accuracy. Implications of results are discussed, and directions for future research are presented.

Age and the Measurement of Workload by a Secondary Task

1986 ◽  
Vol 30 (12) ◽  
pp. 1154-1158
Author(s):  
Manuel F. Diaz
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Choice Reaction Time ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Reaction Time Task ◽  
Tracking Task ◽  
Age Difference ◽  
Pursuit Rotor ◽  
Older Subjects ◽  
Main Effects

The purpose of this study was to investigate age differences in the amount of workload imposed by a tracking task. Twelve subjects between the ages of 18 and 22, and 12 subjects between the ages of 48 and 67 performed a serial, choice-reaction-time task alone and concurrently with a pursuit rotor tracking task. Workload, as defined by Ogden et al. (1979) and Michon (1966) was evaluated as a function of age and tracking complexity. Significant tracking complexity and age main effects were revealed for the workload measure in choice reaction time. This suggests that the complexity of the tracking task affected the amount of workload, and that the tracking task imposed a greater workload on the older subjects. The implications of age difference in the amount of workload imposed on the subjects were discussed.

Repeated Measures on a Choice Reaction Time Task

1982 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 359-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Krause
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Choice Reaction Time ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Movement Time ◽  
Reaction Time Task ◽  
Learning Effects ◽  
Current Investigation ◽  
Enlisted Men ◽  
Practice Trials

The current investigation examined a visual choice reaction time (CRT) task to determine its suitability for repeated measures experimentation. Fifteen Navy enlisted men served as subjects for one-, two-, and four-choice reaction time conditions. Fifty trials on each condition were administered for 15 consecutive workdays. Reaction time (RT), movement time (MT), and total time (TT) were recorded for each trial. Results indicated that across all RT conditions, intersession correlations were differentially stable by about Day 8, with reliabilities around .71. Means remained unchanged over the stable days and variances remained constant across all 15 days of the experiment for the RT measure. It was concluded that studies using RT as the dependent variable should allow for sufficient RT practice prior to data collection to ensure that the results are not contaminated by learning effects. It is recommended that at least 1000 practice trials be given prior to using an RT task to assess the effects of an environment.

Analysis of Task Difficulty under Varying Conditions of Induced Stress

1970 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 343-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerry W. Thornton ◽  
Paul D. Jacobs
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Choice Reaction Time ◽  
Reaction Time Task ◽  
Simple Reaction Time Task ◽  
Simple Task ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Time Task ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Task Relatedness ◽  
Related Stress

Two tasks (simple and choice reaction time) were examined while varying three types of stressors (shock, threat of shock, and noise) and the stressor task relationship (i.e., task-related stress, task-unrelated stress, and no-stress). Four specific hypotheses were tested and 3 were supported in the simple reaction-time task. There were no significant differences among stressors for either task, although greater differences were reported in the simple than in the choice reaction-time task. A significant difference between the “task-relatedness” of stress levels in the simple task was interpreted as possibly due to a “coping” or “protective adaptive mechanism” in which increases in performance serve to reduce stress. Practical applications were examined.

Reaction Time in a Visual 4-Choice Reaction Time Task: ERP Effects of Motor Preparation and Hemispheric Involvement

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 491-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrida Antonova ◽  
Claudia van Swam ◽  
Daniela Hubl ◽  
Thomas Dierks ◽  
Inga Griskova-Bulanova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Choice Reaction Time ◽  
Reaction Time Task ◽  
Motor Preparation ◽  
Choice Reaction Time Task ◽  
Time Task

scholarly journals Evaluation of Aircrew Low-Intensity Threat Laser Eye Protection

2019 ◽  
Vol 184 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 593-603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D Reddix ◽  
Matthew E Funke ◽  
Micah J Kinney ◽  
John L Bradley ◽  
Greg Irvin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Color Vision ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Reaction Time Task ◽  
Coast Guard ◽  
Night Vision ◽  
Light Sources ◽  
Eye Protection ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Color Symbol

Abstract Prototype low-intensity threat laser eye protection (LIT-LEP) spectacles were evaluated for US Coast Guard (USCG) cockpits and night vision goggle compatibility. The impetus for interest in aviation LIT-LEP is driven in part by the fact that easily accessible 0.5–2.0 W high-power laser pointers exceed safety standards for direct on-axis viewing. A repeated-measures experimental design was used to assess LIT-LEP performance relative to a no-LEP control for the following tasks: Near- and far contrast acuity, night vision goggle far-contrast acuity, emissive and non-emissive light source color-vision screening, and USCG multifunctional display color symbol discrimination reaction time and accuracy. Near- and far-contrast acuity results demonstrated good LIT-LEP performance for typical in- and out-of-cockpit lighting conditions. Night vision goggle performance suffered marginally at only one contrast level (85%; 20/30 acuity line). Color vision test results showed good color balance in that S-, M-, and L-cone performance did not demonstrate a clinical diagnostic color defect for emissive or non-emissive light sources when wearing LIT-LEP. Color symbol discrimination reaction-time-task results based on inverse efficiency scores revealed that some non-primary flight display colors exhibited a combination of slower speed and decreased accuracy. The findings will contribute to an acquisition decision as well as guide future LEP designs.

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