Remarks on Colquhoun's: “ The Effect of ‘ unwanted ’ Signals on Performance in a Vigilance Task ”

1 September 1966

journal article
research article
Published by Taylor & Francis in Ergonomics

Vol. 9 (5) , 413-416
https://doi.org/10.1080/00140136608964401

Abstract

Colquhoun's 1961 experiment is interpreted as emphasizing the discrimination phase of a complex task in which the detection of a signal is followed by the discrimination of one of its features. His conclusion that signal probability determines vigilance performance is supported by research from this laboratory with a simple detection task. In our research the probability is redefined as the ratio of signals to attention-eliciting stimuli, and the latter stimuli must be presented at high rates (15 or more times per minute). His results with the complex task suggest an effect of signal probability on search and scanning patterns during prolonged visual work.

Keywords

This publication has 4 references indexed in Scilit:

Human and Animal Vigilance
Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1965
The Elicited Observing Rate and Decision Processes in Vigilance
Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 1965
Vigilance: The Importance of the Elicited Observing Rate
Science, 1964
THE EFFECT OF ‘UNWANTED’ SIGNALS ON PERFORMANCE IN A VIGILANCE TASK
Ergonomics, 1961