EFFECT OF COLD AND RAIN UPON THE VIGILANCE OF LOOKOUTS

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Abstract
Sixteen men performed lookout duties twice at sea in winter on an open bridge, once in the Arctic (mean temperature 28°F) and once in a mores temperate clime (mean 37F°) in counterbalanced order. The 2 signal sources were separated by an angle of 75° and presented 7 signals each in an irregular order and at irregular intervals during a 30-minute watch. The lookout had to respond as soon as he saw a signal. There were reliably more response times of 20 seconds or longer in rain than in the cold (p < -01). There was a reliable increase in the number of long response times during the watches in the cold (p < -01) accompanied by a mean fall in oral temperature of 12°F.

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