2002/12/01 by Peter J. Mikulka, Mark W. Scerbo, Frederick G. Freeman · 73 citations
Engineering · Medicine · Psychology · #Aerospace and Aviation Technology #Air Traffic Management and Optimization #Audiology #Cognitive psychology #Contingency #Developmental psychology #Electroencephalography #Human-Automation Interaction and Safety #Medicine #Psychology #Social psychology #Vigilance (psychology)
paper · doi:10.1518/0018720024496944
published in Human Factors The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 44(4), 654-664 (SAGE Publishing)
openalex publication_date 2002/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
The present study was designed to determine whether a biocybernetic, adaptive system could enhance vigilance performance. Participants were asked to monitor the repetitive presentation of white bars on a computer screen for occasional increases in length. An index of task engagement was derived from participants' electroencephalographic (EEG) activity and was used to change the presentation rate of events among 3 values (6, 20, and 60 events/min). Under a negative feedback contingency, event rates increased if the engagement index decreased and, conversely, decreased if the index increased. Under positive feedback, the opposite contingency existed. Each experimental participant had a yoked control partner who received the same pattern of changes in event rates irrespective of his or her EEG activity. The results showed that better vigilance performance was obtained under negative feedback and that the performance of the yoked participants was similar to that of their experimental partners. These findings suggest that it may be possible to improve monitoring performance on critical activities such as air traffic control and radar and sonar operation through a pattern of event rate changes that do not rely on an operator's overt behavior.