The effect of increased monitoring load on vigilance performance using a simulated radar display.

Abstract

The present study examined the extent to which level of target density influences the ability to sustain attention to a complex monitoring task requiring only a detection response to simple stimulus change. The visual display was designed to approximate a futuristic, highly automated air traffic control radar display containing computer-generated alphanumeric symbols. Forty-eight male subjects, equally divided into three groups, were exposed to density levels of 4, 8, or 16 targets. Ten critical stimuli (signals) were randomly presented during each half-hour of the 2 h session. Detection latency to the critical stimuli in the 16-target condition was significantly greater than latency to the 4- and 8-target conditions. There was no evidence of performance decrement in the two lower density conditions. The 16-target condition showed a significant progressive increase in mean detection latency, which was primarily the result of an increase in long latencies. The hypothesized decline in attention associated with this condition appeared to be independent of any major change in arousal level.