Triple Task Research Articles

Cognitive-motor interference in multiple sclerosis and healthy controls: results from single, dual, and triple task posturography

Cognitive-motor interference in multiple sclerosis and healthy controls: results from single, dual, and triple task posturography

HD-tDCS mitigates the executive vigilance decrement only under high cognitive demands

Maintaining vigilance is essential for many everyday tasks, but over time, our ability to sustain it inevitably decreases, potentially entailing severe consequences. High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) has proven to be useful for studying and improving vigilance. This study explores if/how cognitive load affects the mitigatory effects of HD-tDCS on the vigilance decrement. Participants (N = 120) completed a modified ANTI-Vea task (single or dual load) while receiving either sham or anodal HD-tDCS over the right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC). This data was compared with data from prior studies (N = 120), where participants completed the standard ANTI-Vea task (triple load task), combined with the same HD-tDCS protocol. Against our hypotheses, both the single and dual load conditions showed a significant executive vigilance (EV) decrement, which was not affected by the application of rPPC HD-tDCS. On the contrary, the most cognitively demanding task (triple task) showed the greatest EV decrement; importantly, it was also with the triple task that a significant mitigatory effect of the HD-tDCS intervention was observed. The present study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the specific effects of HD-tDCS on the vigilance decrement considering cognitive demands. This can ultimately contribute to reconciling heterogeneous effects observed in past research and fine-tuning its future clinical application.

Agility training to integratively promote neuromuscular, cardiorespiratory and cognitive function in healthy older adults: a one-year randomized-controlled trial

BackgroundExercise training recommendations for seniors include the targeted training of strength, balance, endurance and flexibility domains. Agility training (AT) is conceptualized as a multi-component and time-efficient training framework for older adults to improve physical, functional and cognitive health domains that are relevant for maintaining activities of daily living. The aim of this one-year trial was to comparatively evaluate the effects of agility training on physical and cognitive function.MethodsSeventy-nine healthy older adults (AT: 61.5% female, 70.8 ± 4.8 years, 27.7 ± 4.2 kg/m2; CG: 60.5% female, 69.6 ± 4.7 years, 27.5 ± 4.4 kg/m2) took part in this one-year randomized controlled intervention and were either assigned to the agility training group (AT) with two weekly 60 min AT sessions or to the control group (CG), receiving no treatment. Participants were assessed pre, intermediate and post intervention for strength and power, balance, gait speed under multi-task conditions, aerobic capacity as well as cognitive performance. Linear mixed effects models were used to analyze the effect of treatment over time.ResultsFifty-four participants (AG: 25, CG: 29) were analyzed, most drop-outs attributed to COVID-19 (17/30 dropouts). Adherence was good (75%) of 90 offered sessions. Notable effects in favor of AT were found for gait parameters in single (d = 0.355, Δ = 4.3%), dual (d = 0.375, Δ = 6.1%) and triple (d = 0.376, Δ = 6.4%) task conditions, counter movement jump performance (strength and power) (d = 0.203, Δ = 6.9%), static one leg balance (d = 0.256, Δ = 12.33%) and n-back reaction time (cognitive performance) (d = 0.204, Δ = 3.8%). No effects were found for the remaining outcomes (d < 0.175).ConclusionAT might serve as an integrative training approach for older adults particularly improving gait and lower limb power parameters. It seems suitable to improve a broad range of seniors’ health domains and should replace isolated training of these domains. However, individual variation and progression of exercises should be considered when programming agility training providing adequate challenges throughout a long-term intervention for all participants.Trial registrationDRKS, DRKS00017469. Registered 19 June 2019—Retrospectively registered.

Reactivity of the triple task on writing processes and product in adults with dyslexia.

The triple task (TT) is a method for assessing the dynamics of writing processes. It involves three tasks in one: writing a text, responding to a sound, and reporting the process. Previous research has mostly shown that the TT does not affect the writing process or the product. However, individuals with dyslexia often show difficulties in tasks that require organization, automation, integration of multiple processes, inhibition, and shifting/cognitive flexibility. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate whether TT affects the writing process and written product differently in adults with dyslexia compared to a control group of adults with typical reading skills. Two groups of adult native Croatian speakers were included in this study: 20 adults with developmental dyslexia and 20 adults with typical reading skills; evenly distributed by: age (18-38 years), gender (13 males, 7 females per group), educational level, and nonverbal cognitive abilities. All participants wrote one text with a TT and another without. The writing of the text was tracked with a keystroke logging program - Inputlog. The two texts were compared at process and product level. The results showed that measures of writing processes and text quality in the groups of adults with dyslexia and adults with typical reading skills were unlikely to be differentially affected by TT. However, in the condition without TT, the total number of characters per minute was higher, more keys were typed per minute and more words were deleted. As expected, adults with dyslexia produced shorter texts of lower quality and with more errors; they also produced fewer characters per minute, used fewer keystrokes and typed fewer. The study suggests that TT is unlikely to have a different impact on the writing process or written product in adults with dyslexia compared to adults with typical reading skills.

Transfer of task-probability-induced biases in parallel dual-task processing occurs in similar, but is constraint in distinct task sets.

Although humans often multitask, little is known about how the processing of concurrent tasks is managed. The present study investigated whether adjustments in parallel processing during multitasking are local (task-specific) or global (task-unspecific). In three experiments, participants performed one of three tasks: a primary task or, if this task did not require a response, one of two background tasks (i.e., prioritized processing paradigm). To manipulate the degree of parallel processing, we presented blocks consisting mainly of primary or background task trials. In Experiment 1, the frequency manipulation was distributed equally across the two background tasks. In Experiments 2 and 3, only one background task was frequency-biased (inducer task). The other background task was presented equally often in all blocks (diagnostic task) and served to test whether processing adjustments transferred. In all experiments, blocks with frequent background tasks yielded stronger interference between primary and background tasks (primary task performance) and improved background task performance. Thus, resource sharing appeared to increase with high background task probabilities even under triple task requirements. Importantly, these adjustments generalized across the background tasks when they were conceptually and visually similar (Experiment 2). Implementing more distinct background tasks limited the transfer: Adjustments were restricted to the inducer task in background task performance and only small transfer was observed in primary task performance (Experiment 3). Overall, the results indicate that the transfer of adjustments in parallel processing is unrestricted for similar, but limited for distinct tasks, suggesting that task similarity affects the generality of resource allocation in multitasking. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Экономические и политические решения проблем сельского хозяйства

The food system faces three challenges: ensuring nourishment for growing popula-tion, providing livelihoods and environment protection. Good policy will have to find bal-ance between different goals of this triple task. Governments have the capacity to direct fi-nancial resources to coordinated packages of measures that can contribute to productive, sustainable and viable development of agricultural sectors of the economy. Countries can direct some of the resources to support research and development to promote emerging technologies, as well as to use the existing technologies and advanced practice.

Development of digital and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills in chemistry teacher training

Citizens of the twenty-first century use specific skills to solve real-life problem situations, propose interdisciplinary solutions, and sustainably solve their communities’ socio-scientific and technological problems, locally and globally. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is an integrated and interdisciplinary teaching-learning space. STEM careers are subject to gender gaps in terms of access to higher education, and only a quarter of female students follow a STEM career. Moreover, later in their professional careers, women often obtain lower salaries and income in the STEM professions. STEM education seeks to actively engage students by incorporating technologies into teaching-learning processes since, favoring searching, analysis, solution, and simulation of socio-scientific problems. The latter has become highly visible during the pandemic caused by COVID-19, particularly in emergency remote education measures. Information and communication technologies (ICT) plays a role in online education, either via the knowledge involved in school curricula or an understanding of how the pandemic has evolved. This is a triple task for professors since they must have the right skills to train citizens of the twenty-first century, build new stimulating learning spaces for their highly technologized students, and develop these skills in their students. This article reviews the concepts associated with digital and STEM skills by analyzing a case study, exploring the perception of students in terms of their development of these competencies, and the commitments required in the study plans made by a Professor of Chemistry in a Chilean state university. A mixed investigation was undertaken, considering three phases with different methodologies. The first phase consisted of a bibliographic study, comparing both the digital and STEM skills of several organizations in Chilean education (UNESCO, MINEDUC, and ISTE). ISTE was used as the basis of the applied questionnaire to establish coherence in the dimensions coming from different reference frames. A second phase refers to the analysis of the study plan programs associated with STEM, ICT, and chemistry teaching, through an Analysis Matrix of Aprioristic Categories. In a third phase, the development of digital skills in undergraduate Chemistry students and professors were evaluated through the Digital Competence Questionnaire of Higher Education Students. Based on UNESCO information, the STEM competencies address both the content and its application to problems related to STEM careers in a manner consistent with the training model for science and chemistry teachers. In the case of digital skills, UNESCO integrates international reference frameworks respecting each country’s laws, enabling them to adapt them. In Chile, MINEDUC focuses on teachers’ use of digital tools to improve the teaching-learning processes of students; and ISTE is focused on the skills of higher education. The analysis of the study programs shows that students’ digital skills do not meet the requirements of the Chilean Ministry of Education (MINEDUC). However, the programs enhance more complex cognitive levels when the curricula advance, promoting STEM skills. The digital competence questionnaire for higher education students (CDAES) survey showed a development proportional to the curricular pursuit of the students where, in the first year of the degree, the students declare positive answers in 60.5% of the items consulted. This trend increases in the second and third years (90.7% of positive answers) and the fourth and fifth years (93.0 and 95.4% of positive answers). It remains a challenge to develop skills to design, create or modify technological educational media that promote the use of digital and STEM skills. In conclusion, this research proposes digital and STEM skills for teacher training, discussing the relevance of their integration in STEM teaching and learning. The teacher training curriculum does not have an explicit association with digital and STEM skills, although it addresses the skills required by national and international benchmarks. However, the students indicate positive attitudes toward the digital skills developed progressively during their training as teachers. As future Chemistry teachers, they value the development of digital teaching skills that allow them to address the challenges that arise in the classroom and thus promote the appreciation of STEM careers, which helps form citizens with more sustainable intentions.

Regulatory and Institutional Support of Public Administration in the Field of Physical culture and Sport in Ukraine

The author notes the importance of planning, policy measures and development strategies for the development of physical culture and sports. A large number of current regulatory documents, which reflect the attentive attitude of public authorities to the development and improvement of this area, is indicated. The structural components of the legal administration system in the field of physical culture and sports are characterized. The interpretation of sports legal relations is presented. Specific features of sports legal relations are noted. The main forms of state support for physical culture and sports are also identified. The contribution of local authorities of Ukraine in the implementation of state policy in the field of physical culture and sports is considered. The ambiguity of the legal regulation of the development of physical culture and sports is noted. The need to understand and distinguish between the field of physical culture and professional sports is emphasized. The state regulation of standardization in the researched sphere is considered. The absence of the term “standard” in relation to service quality management in organizations is indicated. The normative-legal acts, which partially determine the evaluation criteria in the field of physical culture and sports, are distinguished. The advantages of implementing a quality management system are indicated. The adopted Standards, the effect of which extends to the field of physical culture and sports, are considered. The principles of quality management system activity are presented and characterized: customer orientation, leadership, employee involvement, process approach, system approach to management, continuous improvement, decision-making based on facts, mutually beneficial relations with suppliers. The main problems and risks in the process of system implementation are noted. Emphasis is placed on the peculiarities of the implementation of the quality management system at the level of local self-government. The requirements for the preparation of mandatory documentation are listed and described. The content of the implementation plan is noted. Emphasis is placed on the expediency of determining senior management and officials on specific examples. The need for local government administration to systematically confirm its compliance with the quality management system has been identified. Requirements to representatives of higher governing bodies are defined. The impossibility of the self-government body to satisfy the requirements of all clients within the framework of the legislation and the approved budget is emphasized. The key task of senior management is described. The components of an important triple task of senior management in the context of implementation, operation and continuous improvement of the quality management system are listed. The importance of emphasizing the consolidation at the state level of tests and standards for assessing the physical fitness of the people of Ukraine was emphasized.

Cognitive load mitigates the executive but not the arousal vigilance decrement

Previous research has shown opposite effects of dual tasking on the vigilance decrement phenomenon. We examined the executive (i.e., detecting infrequent critical signals) and arousal (i.e., sustaining a fast reaction to stimuli without much control on responses) vigilance decrements as a function of task load. Ninety-six participants performed either a single signal-detection (i.e., executive vigilance) task, a single reaction time (i.e., arousal vigilance) task, or a dual vigilance task with the same stimuli and procedure. All participants self-reported their fatigue’ state along the session. Exploratory analyses included data from a previous study with a triple task condition. Task load significantly modulated the executive but not the arousal vigilance decrement. Interestingly, the largest increase in mental fatigue was observed in the single executive vigilance task condition. We discuss limitations of classic vigilance theories to account for the vigilance decrement and changes in mental fatigue as a function of task load.

Postural stability during dual- and triple-task conditions: The effect of different levels of physical fitness in older adults

Postural stability is showed to decline with age and to be particularly challenging for older people during multitasking activities. However, the effect of different levels of physical fitness on postural stability performances during multitasking remains unclear. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the impact of dual-task (DT) and triple-task (TT) performances on postural stability among older adults with a different level of physical fitness (i.e., master cyclists and physically active), and to compare them with healthy untrained older and young adults. Seven master cyclists (mean age 70 ± 3 years), 7 physically active older adults (mean age 73 ± 1 year) 10 untrained older adults (mean age 73 ± 3 years) and 10 untrained young adults (mean age 25 ± 2 years) participated in the study. Data were recorded during: 1) a quiet upright stance task (single-task) and while performing an additional (dual-task), 2) manual, 3) cognitive task or 4) manual and cognitive task concurrently (triple-task). Area and Perimeter described by the center of pressure and mean velocity in anterior-posterior and medio-lateral directions were analyzed. Generally, a decrease in postural stability variables (area, perimeter, mean velocity in anterior-posterior and medio-lateral directions) was observed during dual and triple-task in all groups (all P values < 0.05). A general worse postural stability was observed in untrained older adults compared to young adults in manual and cognitive DT. Moreover, untrained older group showed worse values in area, perimeter, mean velocity in anterior-posterior and medio-lateral directions related to untrained young group (percentage differences: 243.3, 76.4, 107.7 and 51.1% respectively, all P values < 0.05) during triple-task performance. Additionally, the results showed a trend toward better postural stability of master cyclists and physically active older adults compared to untrained older adults in single-rather than in dual- and triple-task performance. The results underlined that to be a cyclist or to be physically active during aging are beneficial to maintain postural stability during multitasking activity and consequently to decrease the risk of falling observed in aging. Il a été montré que la stabilité posturale diminue avec l’âge et constitue un défi particulier pour les personnes âgées lors d’activités multitâches en raison d’une demande importante du système nerveux central et des ressources cognitives. Cependant, l’effet de différents niveaux d’aptitude physique sur la stabilité posturale lors de performances multitâches reste inconnu. Le but de cette étude transversale était d’évaluer l’impact des performances à double et à triple tâche sur la stabilité posturale chez les personnes âgées avec différents niveaux de condition physique (c’est-à-dire des cyclistes séniors et des personnes physiquement actives), et de les comparer à des personnes âgées physiquement inactives et de jeunes adultes. Sept cyclistes séniors (âge moyen : 70 ± 3 ans), 7 adultes plus âgés physiquement actifs (âge moyen : 73 ± 1 an), 10 adultes plus âgés physiquement inactifs (âge moyen : 73 ± 3 ans) et 10 jeunes adultes physiquement inactifs (âge moyen : 25 ± 2 ans) ont participé à l’étude. Les données ont été enregistrées lorsque : 1) le sujet se tient debout (tâche simple), 2) debout, il réalise une tâche manuelle qui est la prise d’un verre (double tâche), 3) debout, il réalise une tâche cognitive qui est celle d’un comptage, 4) debout, il réalise une tâche cognitive et manuelle (triple tâche). La zone et le périmètre décrits par le centre de pression et la vitesse moyenne dans les plans antéro-postérieurs et médio-latéraux ont été analysés. De manière générale, une diminution des variables de stabilité posturale (zone, périmètre, vitesse moyenne dans les plans antéro-postérieurs et médio-latéraux) a été observée lors de l’exécution de double et de triple tâche dans tous les groupes (toutes les valeurs de p < 0,05). De plus, un contrôle postural mineur a été observé chez les adultes âgés physiquement inactifs par rapport aux jeunes adultes physiquement inactifs tout en effectuant une tâche manuelle et cognitive supplémentaire. De surcroît, le groupe des personnes âgées physiquement inactives a montré des résultats moins performants pour ce qui est de la zone, du périmètre, de la vitesse moyenne dans les plans antéro-postérieurs et médio-latéraux par rapport au groupe de jeunes physiquement inactifs (différences en pourcentage : 243,3, 76,4, 107,7 et 51,1 %, toutes valeurs p < 0,05) au cours de l’exécution de la triple tâche. En outre, les résultats ont montré une tendance à une meilleure stabilité posturale chez les cyclistes séniors et les adultes plus âgés physiquement actifs par rapport aux adultes plus âgés physiquement inactifs, pour les tâches simples ainsi que lors des performances à double et triple tâche. Les résultats ont souligné que la pratique de sports et d’activités physiques au cours du vieillissement peut être bénéfique pour maintenir la stabilité posturale lors d’activités multitâches et, par conséquent, pour réduire le risque de chute observé lors du vieillissement.

Advantages of timing the duration of a freezing of gait-provoking test in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Evaluating freezing of gait (FOG) and quantifying its severity in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) is challenging; objective assessment is not sufficiently established. We aimed to improve the ability to objectively evaluate FOG severity by investigating the value of measuring the duration of the test and its components. Seventy-one patients with PD and FOG completed a previously validated FOG-provoking test. The test was performed under three conditions: (1) usual, single task; (2) dual task (walking while carrying a tray); and (3) triple task (walking while holding a tray and subtracting 7s). FOG and festination were scored using standard procedures. We evaluated effect sizes based on both the original scoring and the test duration for the motor-cognitive cost and before and after anti-Parkinsonian medication intake. Additionally, video recording of the test and total time frozen were measured. As expected, the original test score and the test duration increased across the three conditions of the task and were higher in OFF than in the ON-medication state (p < 0.036). For motor-cognitive cost, higher effect sizes were observed for the test duration of each condition, compared to the original scoring in OFF state (0.85 vs. 0.68, respectively). Change in effect size category was more pronounced in the ON state vs. OFF (0.87 vs. 0.55, respectively). Test duration was the only independent predictor for the self-report of FOG severity and the total time frozen during the test. These findings suggest that quantifying the duration of each condition of the FOG-provoking test improves its sensitivity to medications and task complexity. Timing can be used to provide immediate, objective feedback of freezing severity, and a clear interpretation of a patient's performance.

Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Cognitive-Motor Interference during Multitasking in Young and Old Adults.

The concurrent performance of cognitive and postural tasks is particularly impaired in old adults and associated with an increased risk of falls. Biological aging of the cognitive and postural control system appears to be responsible for increased cognitive-motor interference effects. We examined neural and behavioral markers of motor-cognitive dual-task performance in young and old adults performing spatial one-back working memory single and dual tasks during semitandem stance. On the neural level, we used EEG to test for age-related modulations in the frequency domain related to cognitive-postural task load. Twenty-eight healthy young and 30 old adults participated in this study. The tasks included a postural single task, a cognitive-postural dual task, and a cognitive-postural triple task (cognitive dual-task with postural demands). Postural sway (i.e., total center of pressure displacements) was recorded in semistance position on an unstable surface that was placed on top of a force plate while performing cognitive tasks. Neural activation was recorded using a 64-channel mobile EEG system. EEG frequencies were attenuated by the baseline postural single-task condition and demarcated in nine Regions-of-Interest (ROIs), i.e., anterior, central, posterior, over the cortical midline, and both hemispheres. Our findings revealed impaired cognitive dual-task performance in old compared to young participants in the form of significantly lower cognitive performance in the triple-task condition. Furthermore, old adults compared with young adults showed significantly larger postural sway, especially in cognitive-postural task conditions. With respect to EEG frequencies, young compared to old participants showed significantly lower alpha-band activity in cognitive-cognitive-postural triple-task conditions compared with cognitive-postural dual tasks. In addition, with increasing task difficulty, we observed synchronized theta and delta frequencies, irrespective of age. Task-dependent alterations of the alpha frequency band were most pronounced over frontal and central ROIs, while alterations of the theta and delta frequency bands were found in frontal, central, and posterior ROIs. Theta and delta synchronization exhibited a decrease from anterior to posterior regions. For old adults, task difficulty was reflected by theta synchronization in the posterior ROI. For young adults, it was reflected by alpha desynchronization in bilateral anterior ROIs. In addition, we could not identify any effects of task difficulty and age on the beta frequency band. Our results shed light on age-related cognitive and postural declines and how they interact. Modulated alpha frequencies during high cognitive-postural task demands in young but not old adults might be reflective of a constrained neural adaptive potential in old adults. Future studies are needed to elucidate associations between the identified age-related performance decrements with task difficulty and changes in brain activity.

Event-related potentials as indices of mental workload while using an in-vehicle information system

New in-vehicle information systems are now being commercialized. Despite the expected benefits, some concerns exist that they may overload drivers’ capacity and decrease performance. According to the multiple resource theory (Wickens, Hum Factors 50:449–455, https://doi.org/10.1518/001872008X288394, 2008), overload may occur at different stages of processing, that is, perceptual–central and/or response-related stages. Therefore, different measures may be needed to detect such specific demands. We explored the sensitivity of different mental workload measurements during the performance of an auditory task alone (single task) and in combination with a tracking task that was presented without (dual task) or, with a visual display (triple task). The demands associated with the number of concurrent tasks (single, dual and triple tasks), tracking speed (low, high, adjustable) and their interaction were analyzed. To account for different processing requirements, mental workload was assessed using subjective, behavioral (performance on the auditory task) and psychophysiological measurements (event-related potentials). 17 young adults participated in the study. The results showed that most measurements discriminated between the performances of one or more tasks, as well as between low and high speeds. However, only the subjective ratings and tracking task performance further discriminated between the dual- and triple-task conditions. Finally, ERPs (N1 and P3) were the only measure detecting increases in cognitive demands associated with higher requirements on processing speed combined with the addition of the display. Our results suggest that ERPs may provide complementary information to other traditional mental workload measures. Its applications in the evaluation and design of future systems should be investigated.

Dual-Task Walking Performance in Older Persons With Hearing Impairment: Implications for Interventions From a Preliminary Observational Study.

Adults with "hearing loss" have an increased falls risks. There may be an association between hearing impairment and walking performance under dual-task (DT) and triple-task (TT) conditions. The aim of this study was to identify DT and TT effects on walking speed, step length, and cadence in adults with hearing impairment, previous falls, and physical limitations. The observational study included 73 community-dwelling older people seeking audiology services. Data were collected on sociodemographic characteristics, previous falls, fear of falling, physical limitations, and walking performance under three task conditions. Differences between the task conditions (single task [ST], DT, and TT) and the hearing groups were analyzed with a two-way ANOVA with repeated measures. The influence of fall risks and limited physical functioning on walking under ST, DT, and TT conditions was analyzed with ANOVAs, with ST, DT, and TT performance as repeated measurement factor (i.e., walking speed, step length and Cadence × Previous falls, or short physical performance battery <12 × Hearing Groups). Walking speed was reduced accompanied by decreased step length and increased cadence in people with more severe hearing loss. Larger negative effects on DT and TT walking were found with increasing hearing loss (speed and cadence decreased with higher DT costs). Highest DT costs were found for the walking-manual conditions. These results were accompanied by small effects of older age and more comorbidities. This first screening data of walking performance under different conditions for people with hearing loss warrants the need for development and investigation of training interventions to improve walking abilities. DT training may be beneficial to enhance motor and cognitive flexibility and to reduce fall risks.

The right-side perceptual bias in aging determined in a laboratory setting and during a virtual driving task.

Spatial perceptual rightward bias which was originally described in Dichotic Listening studies seems to be a general phenomenon. This bias is age dependent, being evident in children with developing executive functions, and emerging again at older age as a function of aging and the declining executive functions. In the two studies presented here we compared the performance of young and elderly adults in spatial divided attention tasks with auditory and visual stimuli when the stimulus detection performance was measured in separate sessions in a laboratory setting (Study I), to performance when the same types of stimuli were mixed with a task in which the subject's primary objective was to drive a car in a virtual environment (virtual reality; Study II). The aim was to see if the perceptual bias could be detected and also to look at how it would differ in these two situations. 90 right-handed subjects (50 young and 40 elderly) participated in Study I and 84 subjects (64 young and 20 elderly) participated in Study II. Study I showed the rightward bias to be more evident in the elderly subjects in both modalities and in more demanding tasks. Study II revealed that in the triple task the spatial perceptual bias was evident in both modalities for the elderly participants when the conditions were more demanding. An interesting finding concerning the right-side perceptual bias was the simultaneous occurrence of left-side driving errors, i.e. crossing the lane border to the left especially by the elderly. Both of these biases may reflect the asymmetries of the attention-related neuronal networks.

Effects of total sleep deprivation on divided attention performance.

Dividing attention across two tasks performed simultaneously usually results in impaired performance on one or both tasks. Most studies have found no difference in the dual-task cost of dividing attention in rested and sleep-deprived states. We hypothesized that, for a divided attention task that is highly cognitively-demanding, performance would show greater impairment during exposure to sleep deprivation. A group of 30 healthy males aged 21–30 years was exposed to 40 h of continuous wakefulness in a laboratory setting. Every 2 h, subjects completed a divided attention task comprising 3 blocks in which an auditory Go/No-Go task was 1) performed alone (single task); 2) performed simultaneously with a visual Go/No-Go task (dual task); and 3) performed simultaneously with both a visual Go/No-Go task and a visually-guided motor tracking task (triple task). Performance on all tasks showed substantial deterioration during exposure to sleep deprivation. A significant interaction was observed between task load and time since wake on auditory Go/No-Go task performance, with greater impairment in response times and accuracy during extended wakefulness. Our results suggest that the ability to divide attention between multiple tasks is impaired during exposure to sleep deprivation. These findings have potential implications for occupations that require multi-tasking combined with long work hours and exposure to sleep loss.

The effect of billboard design specifications on driving: A pilot study

Decades of research on the effects of advertising billboards on road accident rates, driver performance, and driver visual scanning behavior, has produced no conclusive findings. We suggest that road safety researchers should shift their focus and attempt to identify the billboard characteristics that are most distracting to drivers. This line of research may produce concrete guidelines for permissible billboards that would be likely to reduce the influence of the billboards on road safety. The current study is a first step towards this end. A pool of 161 photos of real advertising billboards was used as stimuli within a triple task paradigm designed to simulate certain components of driving. Each trial consisted of one ongoing tracking task accompanied by two additional concurrent tasks: (1) billboard observation task; and (2) circle color change identification task. Five clusters of billboards, identified by conducting a cluster analysis of their graphic content, were used as a within variable in one-way ANOVAs conducted on performance level data collected from the multiple tasks. Cluster 5, labeled Loaded Billboards, yielded significantly deteriorated performance on the tracking task. Cluster 4, labeled Graphical Billboards, yielded deteriorated performance primarily on the color change identification task. Cluster 3, labeled Minimal Billboards, had no effect on any of these tasks. We strongly recommend that these clusters be systematically explored in experiments involving additional real driving settings, such as driving simulators and field studies. This will enable validation of the current results and help incorporate them into real driving situations.

Towards understanding problem structuring and groups with triple task methodology ‘e’

The many issues which confront Problem Structuring Groups (PSGs) engaging in applying problem structuring methods (PSMs) are well reported in the literature. Often group problem structuring work is well organised around an array of processes and methods which has received wide-ranging testing in the field however, the assessment of the group in terms of its output, group dynamic and self-assessment tends to be handled piecemeal at best. Triple task methodology (TTM) has been described as a means to manage the three group assessments—group output, dynamic and self-assessment in one frame. In this paper an experimental version of TTM (TTMe) is described in use in an Education project setting in Abu Dhabi. It was intended to make TTM less cumbersome and time consuming and, at the same time, more systemically integrated, a significant objective being to make it easier to use by practitioners who have not used it before or who have only small prior use of group assessment methods. The paper describes the application of TTMe, provides an overall assessment of the value of the exercise, discusses the outputs of the group work and points to the value of TTMe in identifying and clarifying unique group qualities or signatures. The major contribution of the paper is to bring to PSG processes a degree of rapid, non-specialist, empirically comparable assessment on the richness of the group use of PSMs.

La función cultural de la filosofía en tiempos de crisis

Tytuł i abstrakt w języku oryginalnym artykułu

Sustainable Development Indicators: The Tyranny of Methodology Revisited

Indicators are increasingly dominating our lives; whether we are aware of it or not. They have been popular tools for sustainable development policy makers, planners and managers, largely because they do the hard work of condensing complexity into single values that can be more easily digested and acted upon. But much power rests with those who select the indicators deemed to be important. This paper explores some of these issues at what is now regarded by some as the new frontier in „indicatorology‟; their use and influence. The authors argue that a new tyranny of methodology may be at play. Author’s Note Dr. Simon Bell is a Senior Lecturer in Information Systems at the Open University. His background is multidisciplinary, with a strong emphasis on research methods development, information systems design and monitoring and evaluation. Simon co-developed and refined the information systems analysis and design methodology „Multiview‟ and developed various project planning methods. Working with the European Union and UNEP he worked across the Mediterranean on a series of coastal area management projects refining and adapting participatory methods in information collection and presentation from a diverse variety of stakeholder groups. More recently, with Professor Stephen Morse, he has co-developed the Triple Task Method for the European Union FP7 programme. The method innovates in the area of engaging with and exploring group dynamics in a range of stakeholder participatory engagements. Dr. Bell has written and published widely in the areas of participatory methods, information systems and methodology development. Stephen Morse is Chair in Systems Analysis for Sustainability at the Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey. His background is in the biological sciences, with a specialism in the theory and practice of sustainability. Steve has been involved in sustainable development projects and research for nearly 30 years, and his research interests are broad spanning both the natural and social sciences. Research projects have included work on the socioeconomic impacts of genetically modified crops, the analysis of partnership within faith-based aid chains and the influence of indicators on policy (with Simon Bell). Steve is an author of more than 80 research papers and 15 books including „Sustainability; A biological perspective‟