Vigilance Theory Research Articles

The strategic allocation theory of vigilance.

Despite its importance in different occupational and everyday contexts, vigilance, typically defined as the capacity to sustain attention over time, is remarkably limited. What explains these limits? Two theories have been proposed. The Overload Theory states that being vigilant consumes limited information-processing resources; when depleted, task performance degrades. The Underload Theory states that motivation to perform vigilance tasks declines over time, thereby prompting attentional shifts and hindering performance. We highlight some conceptual and empirical problems for both theories and propose an alternative: the Strategic Allocation Theory. For the Strategic Allocation Theory, performance on vigilance tasks optimizes as a function of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, including metacognitive factors such as the expected value of effort and the expected value of planning. Limited capacities must be deployed across task sets to maximize expected reward. The observed limits of vigilance reflect changes in the perceived value of, among other things, sustaining attention to a task rather than attending to something else. Drawing from recent computational theories of cognitive control and meta-reasoning, we argue that the Strategic Allocation Theory explains more phenomena related to vigilance behavior than other theories, including self-report data. Finally, we outline some of the testable predictions the theory makes across several experimental paradigms. This article is categorized under: Philosophy > Foundations of Cognitive Science Psychology > Attention.

Competition and reward structures nearly eliminate time-on-task performance decrements: Implications for theories of vigilance and mental effort.

Across four experiments, we manipulated features of a simple reaction time (RT) task to examine the effects of such features on sustained attention. In Experiment 1, we created simple RT "game" that pitted participants against two computerized avatars. In one condition, participants were awarded points, while the other condition did not receive points. Performance in the two conditions did not differ, but both conditions showed shorter RTs and shallower time-on-task performance decrements compared to a standard psychomotor vigilance task. In Experiment 2, we removed the competitive feature but retained the point system. In this case, participants without a point system showed a steeper performance decrement than those with a point system. Experiments 3 and 4 replicated these effects and corroborated their findings with pupillometry. Participants in both conditions of Experiment 3 (competitive task) and the points condition of Experiment 4 showed larger task-evoked pupillary responses than participants in the no-points condition of Experiment 4. These findings challenge the notion that time-on-task performance decrements are caused by resource depletion (Smit et al., 2004) and are better explained by motivational control (Hockey, 2011) or cost-benefit theories (Boksem & Tops, 2008; Kurzban et al., 2013) of mental effort and sustained attention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A Theory of Crime and Vigilance

This paper develops a theory of crime in which potential victims elect their vigilance levels. When vigilance expenses are greater than expected property losses, an increase in penalties raises crime, namely, a criminal Laffer curve emerges. This curve is higher and peaks earlier when victims face higher costs. Thus, the government may wish to subsidize vigilance rather than increase penalties. Indeed, an increase in penalties may shift the vigilance levels further away from their socially optimal ones. Finally, the crime rate first rises and then falls in the property value at stake, which is consistent with the empirical evidence. (JEL D91, H76, K42)

A multimodal analysis of sustained attention in younger and older adults.

Age-related cognitive decline has been attributed to processing speed differences, as well as differences in executive control and response inhibition. However, recent research has shown that healthy older adults have intact, if not superior, sustained attention abilities compared to younger adults. The present study used a combination of reaction time (RT), thought probes, and pupillometry to measure sustained attention in samples of younger and older adults. The RT data revealed that, while slightly slower overall, older adults sustained their attention to the task better than younger adults, and did not show a vigilance decrement. Older adults also reported fewer instances of task-unrelated thoughts and reported feeling more motivated and alert than younger adults, despite finding the task more demanding. Additionally, older adults showed larger, albeit later-peaking, task-evoked pupillary responses (TEPRs), corroborating the behavioral and self-report data. Finally, older adults did not show a shallowing of TEPRs across time, corroborating the finding that their RTs also did not change across time. The present findings are interpreted in light of processing speed theory, resource-depletion theories of vigilance, and recent neurological theories of cognitive aging. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Examining the effects of goal-setting, feedback, and incentives on sustained attention.

Across four experiments we examined the effects of goal-setting, feedback, and incentivizing manipulations on sustained attention. In addition to measuring task performance, we measured subjective attentional states and momentary feelings of motivation and alertness. Experiment 1 compared two specific goal conditions-one difficult and one easy-with a standard set of instructions. The specific goal conditions both reduced RTs and attenuated the vigilance decrement but did not impact task engagement (motivation or task-unrelated thoughts). Experiment 2 manipulated both goal-setting and feedback across conditions. The combination of a specific goal and feedback had strong effects on both task performance and task engagement. Additionally, feedback increased task engagement (higher motivation and fewer task-unrelated thoughts) regardless of whether or not it was paired with a specific goal. Experiment 3 examined the effect of pairing goals with a reward. Participants in one reward condition (time-based incentive) reported higher motivation but did not show better task performance. Offering a cash incentive to meet a goal did not have an effect on any dependent variables. Finally, in an effort to examine whether more moderately-difficult goals might lead to optimal performance, Experiment 4 examined a broader range of goals. However, we did not see an effect of a moderately-difficult goal on any of the dependent variables. Although some of the experimental manipulations were effective in mitigating the vigilance decrement, none eliminated it. We discuss the theoretical implications of the results with regard to goal-setting theory and theories of vigilance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Vigilance in Cardiac Telemetry Monitoring: Performance Outcomes and Effects on Operators’ Cognitive and Affective States

Healthcare represents an industry where any errors have the potential to lead to significant consequences such as unintended patient injury or death. Teams of healthcare professionals work together to complete patient care activities across several hospital environments including operating rooms, trauma centers, and care floors. While most healthcare tasks are patient-facing, some tasks such as cardiac telemetry monitoring occur without much patient interaction. Even so, cardiac telemetry monitoring represents a task where errors result in patient harm or death. The purpose of this study was to investigate the vigilance decrement using a healthcare visual search task based on cardiac telemetry monitoring. Results of this study were viewed through the lens of resource theory of vigilance. Findings from this study include a decrease in correct detections and false alarms with increased workload which supports previous vigilance decrement research as well providing directions for future research.

Performance, Hemodynamics, and Stress in a Two-Day Vigilance Task: Practical and Theoretical Implications.

To explore vigilance task performance, cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV), workload, and stress in a within-subjects, two-session experiment. Vigilance, or sustained attention, tasks are often characterized by a decline in operator performance and CBFV with time on task, and high workload and stress. Though performance is known to improve with practice, past research has not included measures of CBFV, stress, and workload in a within-subjects multi-session design, which may also provide insight into ongoing theoretical debate. Participants performed a vigilance task on two separate occasions. Performance, CBFV, workload, and self-reported stress were measured. Within each session, results were consistent with the vigilance profile found in prior research. Across sessions, performance improved but the time on task decrement remained. Mean CBFV and workload ratings did not differ between sessions, but participants reported significantly less distress, worry, and engagement after session two compared to one. Though practice may not disrupt the standard vigilance profile, it may serve to improve overall performance and reduce stress. However, repeated exposure may have negative implications for engagement and mind-wandering. It is important to better understand the relationship between experience, performance, physiological response, and self-reported stress and workload in vigilance because real-world environments often require operators to do the same task over many occasions. While performance improvement and reduced distress is an encouraging result, the decline in engagement requires further research. Results across sessions fail to provide support to the mind-wandering theory of vigilance.

Sieyès and republican liberty

In On the People’s Terms, Philip Pettit incorporates the Sieyèsian notion of constituent power into his constitutional theory of non-domination. In this article, I argue that Emmanuel Sieyès’s understanding of liberty precludes such an appropriation. While a republican, his conceptualisation of liberty in the face of commercial society stood apart from theories of civic vigilance, preferring instead to disentangle individuals from politics and maximise what he understood to be their non-political freedoms. Sieyès saw that liberty was heightened through relations of representation and commercial dependency. This conception of liberty was pivotal to the identity of the nation, and so allowed Sieyès to assess forms of collective injustice committed by the French nobility. It also provided the normative foundation of his theory of constituent power. For Sieyès, constituent power guarded against legislative excess in a decidedly minimal sense, intending instead to separate citizens from the political sphere so they were not burdened with ongoing participation or public vigilance.

Expanding Fear of Loss of Vigilance: Intolerance of Uncertainty, Responsibility for Harm, and Fear of Sleep for Predicting Nocturnal Panic

ABSTRACT Objective/Background: Nocturnal panic involves experiencing panic attacks out of a sleeping state without obvious causes. Roughly half of patients with panic disorder will experience nocturnal panic in addition to panic attacks while awake, or daytime panic. Like daytime panic, nocturnal panic also occurs in other disorders such as PTSD. The Fear of Loss of Vigilance theory is currently the only model available to explain nocturnal panic. It suggests nocturnal panickers fear states in which they cannot easily react to or protect themselves from danger. The current study sought to expand upon the existing theory by including constructs from the broader anxiety literature. Nocturnal panickers were expected to report higher scores on these measures when compared to daytime panickers and non-panickers. Participants: A sample of 166 participants were screened for panic history. Methods: Participants completed self-report measures regarding panic attacks, fear of sleep, intolerance of uncertainty, responsibility for harm, and fear of loss of vigilance. Results: Measures of fear of sleep and responsibility for harm successfully differentiated nocturnal from daytime panickers, whereas measures of intolerance of uncertainty and fear of loss of vigilance did not. Conclusions: These results provide partial support for the Fear of Loss of Vigilance theory. Modifications to the theory to incorporate additional constructs are suggested.

Predator attack patterns influence vigilance in a virtual experiment

The frequency and unpredictability of predator attacks can substantially influence vigilance patterns in prey animals. However, the lack of control over predator behavior hampers our understanding of the effect of predator attack patterns on vigilance. To circumvent this limitation, I developed a virtual experiment in which the behavior of the (virtual) predator was under full control of the experimenter. In the virtual experiment, I altered the frequency and unpredictability of attacks to document how human subjects (N = 45), which acted as surrogate prey, altered their vigilance in response to changes in predator attack patterns. Subjects increased the frequency of their vigilance bouts when the virtual predator attacked more frequently and increased vigilance bout duration when the predator attacked more unpredictably, thus showing an increase in vigilance when predation risk increased. Other features of vigilance in the virtual environment also fitted predictions from current theories of vigilance. In particular, subjects overemphasized safety in the early stages of the experiment when learning about predator attack patterns. Strong individual differences in both the frequency and duration of vigilance bouts also emerged in the virtual environment. Such individual differences feature prominently in the vigilance literature in birds and mammals. The virtual environment thus provides a unique tool to assess vigilance patterns in a controlled environment. Predator attacks can vary substantially in frequency and unpredictability. Patterns of predator attacks are likely to influence vigilance patterns in prey animals. However, the lack of control over predator behavior hampers our understanding of the effect of predator attack patterns on vigilance. To circumvent this limitation, I developed a virtual experiment in which the predator was under full control of the experimenter. I altered the frequency and unpredictability of attacks to document how human subjects, which acted as surrogate prey, altered their vigilance in response to changes in predator attack patterns. The results show that subjects changed the frequency and duration of vigilance bouts in response to changes in predator attack patterns. The virtual experiment provides a unique tool to assess vigilance patterns in a controlled environment.

A Vigilance Explanation of Musical Chills? Effects of Loudness and Brightness Manipulations

Recent research has suggested that low-level psychoacoustic parameters such as loudness and spectral brightness are correlated with musical chills, a subjective emotional experience accompanied by goosebumps, shivers, and tingling sensations. These relationships may be explained by a vigilance theory of chills, through the process of auditory looming; however, these correlations or theories have never been causally tested. In the current study, participants ( N = 40) listened to five variations (original, low loudness, high loudness, low brightness, high brightness) of an experimental and control piece of chills music, characterized by a crescendo and guitar solo respectively; this qualitative distinction was made based on whether the underlying musical structure of the pieces was or was not capable of engaging auditory looming processes. It was predicted that increases in loudness would result in increased chills frequency across participants, indicated by button presses; brightness was included as an exploratory parameter. Results show that for the experimental piece, increases in loudness resulted in significantly more frequent chills experiences, and increases in brightness significantly reduced the frequency of chills, whereas no effects were found for the control piece. Findings are discussed in terms of vigilance and social bonding theories of chills, and the complex interactions between low-level psychoacoustic properties and higher-level musical structures.

Theories of Vigilance and the Prospect of Cognitive Restoration

Effectively mitigating the vigilance decrement (the decrease in performance on tasks requiring sustained attention over time) is one of the most important human factors problems studied today. Despite this, the underlying theory of vigilance and its failings are still disputed. The two primary theories espoused by researchers today are a cognitive resource theory of vigilance and a mindlessness theory of vigilance. This literature review examines the literature investigating points of conflict between these theories, revealing that the majority of experimental research supports a cognitive resource theory of vigilance. Additionally, we examine research investigating the effect of active rest breaks on cognitive and affective restoration. The literature available on cognitive restoration does not support the suggestion that active rest breaks help restore vigilance-relevant cognitive resources more effectively than passive rest breaks. The research does however, support the proposition that more active rest breaks can reduce stress and increase affect. The potential for increasing worker well-being with more active breaks warrants additional research.

Nurses keeping patients safe by managing risk in perioperative settings: A classic grounded theory study.

To develop and expand how nurses promote safety in perioperative settings. This article presents orchestrating a sub-core category from the theory of anticipatory vigilance in promoting safety within preoperative settings (Journal of Clinical Nursing, 27, 2018, 247). Orchestrating explains this and involves effective planning, delegating, co-ordinating and communication. A classic grounded theory methodology was used. Ethical approval was granted. Data comprised of 37 interviews and 33hr of non-participant observation. Data analysis followed the principals of classic grounded theory. Orchestrating is fundamental in promoting safety and minimizing risk of errors and adverse events in the perioperative setting. Nurses achieve this through four categories: macro orchestrating, locational orchestrating, situational orchestrating and being in the know. Nurses minimize risk by fostering a culture of safety, risk awareness, effective management and leadership. Effective management structures and support systems are essential in promoting a culture of safety in perioperative setting.

Intolerance of uncertainty and responsibility for harm predict nocturnal panic attacks

Nocturnal panic involves waking suddenly from sleep in a state of panic, with no apparent cause, and affects more than half of patients with panic disorder. The Fear of Loss of Vigilance theory is the only proposed model for nocturnal panic, suggesting nocturnal panickers fear states in which they are unable to react to danger or protect themselves from threats. Prior work using a self-report questionnaire designed to test the theory (i.e., Fear of Loss of Vigilance Questionnaire; FLOVQ) was unsuccessful at differentiating nocturnal from daytime panickers. This study tested the theory using alternative measures to the FLOVQ. We predicted nocturnal panickers would show elevated responses to measures assessing fears of being unable to respond to or protect themselves from threats. A diverse community sample (N = 218) completed self-report measures related to panic attacks, intolerance of uncertainty, responsibility for harm, and anxiety sensitivity dimensions. Nocturnal panickers endorsed greater inhibitory intolerance of uncertainty and responsibility for harm, but not prospective intolerance of uncertainty, or anxiety sensitivity physical or cognitive concerns. This study provides support for the fear of loss of vigilance theory and suggests intolerance of uncertainty and responsibility for harm reduction be targeted in treatment for nocturnal panic attacks.

Does Depleting Self-Control Result in Poorer Vigilance Performance?

To investigate whether depleting self-control prior to vigilance results in a steeper vigilance decrement. The resource-control theory of vigilance asserts that an inherent bias toward self-generated mind-wandering draws attentional resources away from the primary task. This study seeks to test whether depleting self-control, the potential mechanism of self-generated mind-wandering, results in poorer vigilance performance. This study featured a between-subjects design where participants either completed a typing task that depleted self-control resources or a standard typing task that did not require self-control before performing a vigilance task. In the self-control depletion condition, participants typed a passage while omitting any "e" and "space" keys. In the standard typing task, participants typed the same passage without skipping any keys. Following both typing tasks, participants in both conditions completed an identical 12-min vigilance task. Results demonstrated decreased accuracy and increased reaction times over time for both groups. Depleting self-control did not result in significant differences in accuracy, reaction time, nor a steeper vigilance decrement. These results provide evidence against resource-control theory and self-control as an explanation for vigilance, and provide further support for cognitive resource theory as the predominant explanation for vigilance impairments. It is still unclear exactly what constitutes a "resource." A better understanding of the nature of these resources can help researchers and practitioners identify how they can be replenished, which could enhance human performance in situations requiring vigilance such as baggage screening.

Transcranial Doppler Sonography Reveals Reductions in Hemispheric Asymmetry in Healthy Older Adults during Vigilance.

Given that older adults are remaining longer in the workforce, their ability to perform demanding cognitive tasks such as vigilance assignments needs to be thoroughly examined, especially since many vigilance assignments affect public safety (e.g., aviation, medicine and long distance driving). Previous research exploring the relation between aging and vigilance is conflicted, with some studies finding decreased vigilance performance in older adults but others finding no effect of age. We sought a better understanding of effects of age on vigilance by assessing neurophysiological change over the course of a vigil in young (aged 18–24) and healthy older (aged 66–77) adults. To measure temporal changes in cerebral blood flow, participants underwent functional transcranial doppler (fTCD) recording during a 1 h vigilance task. Based on research showing a compensatory effect of increased left hemisphere activation during vigilance in young adults and the “hemispheric asymmetry reduction in older adults” (HAROLD) model, we predicted that during vigilance our older adults would show greater left hemisphere activation but perform at a similar level compared to young adults. While cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) declined over time in both groups, only young adults showed the typical right-lateralized CBFV pattern. Older adults showed greater left hemisphere activation consistent with the HAROLD model. However, the increased left hemisphere activation did not appear to be compensatory as the older adults performed at a significantly lower level compared to young adults over the vigil. Findings are discussed in terms of the HAROLD model of healthy aging and the resource theory of vigilance.

Low Interpersonal Trust Improves Judgments of Moral Character

Drawing on the Realistic Accuracy Model and theories of perceptual vigilance, we predict that people who are less trusting of others are also better at identifying high moral character people. We f...

Obsessive–compulsive symptoms and attentional bias: An eye-tracking methodology

Background and objectivesCognitive models suggest that attentional biases are integral in the maintenance of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS). Such biases have been established experimentally in anxiety disorders; however, the evidence is unclear in Obsessive Compulsive disorder (OCD). In the present study, an eye-tracking methodology was employed to explore attentional biases in relation to OCS. MethodsA convenience sample of 85 community volunteers was assessed on OCS using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale-self report. Participants completed an eye-tracking paradigm where they were exposed to OCD, Aversive and Neutral visual stimuli. Indices of attentional bias were derived from the eye-tracking data. ResultsSimple linear regressions were performed with OCS severity as the predictor and eye-tracking measures of the different attentional biases for each of the three stimuli types were the criterion variables. Findings revealed that OCS severity moderately predicted greater frequency and duration of fixations on OCD stimuli, which reflect the maintenance attentional bias. No significant results were found in support of other biases. LimitationsInterpretations based on a non-clinical sample limit the generalisability of the conclusions, although use of such samples in OCD research has been found to be comparable to clinical populations. Future research would include both clinical and sub-clinical participants. ConclusionsResults provide some support for the theory of maintained attention in OCD attentional biases, as opposed to vigilance theory. Individuals with greater OCS do not orient to OCD stimuli any faster than individuals with lower OCS, but once a threat is identified, these individuals allocate more attention to OCS-relevant stimuli..

P135. EEG-based assessment of wakefulness regulation in different mood states in bipolar disorder – A retrospective analysis

Background According to the vigilance theory of affective disorders, unipolar depression is characterised by a hyperstable wakefulness regulation, meaning that patients suffering from depression show a high alertness and a less distinct and later decline into lower vigilance and sleep states. Mania on the other hand is associated with an unstable wakefulness regulation with a rapid decline into sleep states and quickly alternating wakefulness states ( Hegerl and Hensch, 2012 ). This theory has been backed up for unipolar depression in recent years ( Hegerl et al., 2012 ). However, so far EEG-based assessment of wakefulness regulation has not been performed for bipolar patients in different mood states. Objective The aim of this study is to assess and to compare wakefulness regulation in bipolar depression, mania and euthymia. This will be done both for diagnostic groups as well as for individual patients for whom EEG-recordings in all mood states are available. Methods This is going to be a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis. In the department of psychiatry at the university hospital in Leipzig, inpatients suffering from bipolar mania/depression and bipolar outpatients in euthymia undergo a 15-min resting EEG. Strict inclusion and exclusion criteria were defined to ensure comparability of results. So far, we have included 23 manic, 13 hypomanic and 51 depressive patients suffering from bipolar disorder. Mood at the time of EEG-recording is assessed via the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and the 17-item Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD-17). EEG-vigilance regulation will be determined with a computer-based vigilance classification algorithm (VIGALL, Vigilance Algorithm Leipzig), allowing a classification of vigilance stages A (with substages A1, A2 and A3), B (with substages B1 and B2/3) and C. Hypothesis We hypothesize that currently depressive bipolar patients will show hyperstable wakefulness, while currently manic patients will show an unstable wakefulness regulation. Furthermore, we hypothesize that this is a state – rather than a trait – dependent regulation.

A Big Word for Something We Do All the Time

Oncology nurses are responsible to be vigilant for patients to keep them safe from harm. Yet, nurse vigilance and its role in preventing error are not well understood. Increased knowledge of how oncology nurses practice vigilance may lead to interventions that enhance nurses' abilities to be vigilant, decrease error rates, and protect patients from harm. This article describes oncology nurses' lived experiences of vigilance while practicing in an acute care hospital setting. The study design was an adaptation of Colaizzi's empirical phenomenology. Data were obtained from a purposive sample of oncology registered nurses (n = 7) who were identified as being vigilant by patients and family members, following their own interviews about their experiences of vigilance. Four theme categories indicated the following: (1) nurses use vigilance to keep patients safe; (2) vigilance is incorporated into expert practice over time; (3) barriers impede nurses' abilities to be effectively vigilant; and (4) nurses expect patients and families to participate in vigilance partnerships with them because it enhances the nurses' abilities to be vigilant. Nurse vigilance is a complex phenomenon that is not well understood but is used by nurses in daily practice to protect patients from harm. Ways in which nurses can enhance vigilance are identified, as well as barriers to vigilance, which if addressed may promote patient safety and well-being. A theory of vigilance and a measure of it could provide objective feedback, which will enhance nurses' abilities to be effectively vigilant.