Effect of visual deprivation on auditory vigilance.

Abstract

Signal detection in an auditory vigilance task is compared under conditions of normal visual stimulation and of visual deprivation produced by a blindfold. The task consists of detecting sequences of three different digits in the order odd‐even‐odd, appearing in a continuous series of digits. Sighted males detect significantly fewer signals than blindfolded males. The visual deprivation variable has no significant effect on female performance. There is some evidence from retrospective reports that sighted males are more emotional and perhaps aroused to a point which impairs efficient vigilance performance.