Dual-Task Performance as a Function of Individual Alarm Validity and Alarm System Reliability Information

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Abstract
Researchers and designers have investigated ways to mitigate the consequences of alarm mistrust, including using redundant information sources to ensure response consistency. Research concerning the benefit of this practice has not considered the operator's prior alarm system knowledge, or the division of attention among multiple tasks. We investigated the influence of real-time individual alarm validity information and prior alarm system reliability information on primary and alarm task responses. One hundred undergraduate students performed a continuous compensatory tracking task while responding to microcomputer-based alarms. Dependent measures included alarm response frequency, speed, accuracy, and appropriateness, and primary task tracking error. Results indicated that participants with real-time alarm validity information responded less frequently, but more appropriately than those without such information. Participants with prior access to alarm system reliability information responded more frequently than those without such information. The results are discussed as they apply to prior literature and alarm system design.