Individual differences in visual search performance among medical technologists

Abstract

Twenty female medical technologists were evaluated on measures of general intelligence, and visual search reaction time (RT). The individual differences measures used were the Picture Completion and Digit Span subtests from the Wechler's (1981) Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-R) and a computerized version of the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT) (Kagan, Rosman, Day, Albert & Phillips, 1964). A skilled visual search and general visual search task were also administered. The skilled visual search task consisted of bacterial morphology typically encountered in a clinical pathology laboratory. The general visual search task consisted of displays containing geometric objects. The intercorrelation matrix revealed that RT on the MFFT was positively related to RT on both visual search tasks. Skilled visual search accuracy was negatively related to RT on the MFFT. Consistent with previous studies, Digit Span performance was not related to either visual search task. The relationship between RT and Picture Completion was moderated by the nature of the visual search task.