PERFORMANCE OF A PURSUIT TRACKING TASK WITH DIFFERENT DELAY TIMES INSERTED BETWEEN THE CONTROL MECHANISM AND THE DISPLAY CURSOR
Abstract
The object of this investigation was to estimate the extent of deterioration of performance on a pursuit tracking task when various time delays were inserted between the control corrections and the corresponding display movements. Sixty subjects were used, arranged in 6 groups, with 10 subjects per group. Each group was assigned to a separate condition of delay time. Time delays of 0, 1, 3, 3.5, 4, and 5 seconds were employed. The results indicate that performance on this particular pursuit tracking task tended to deteriorate as the delay time was increased. It should be emphasized, though, that after as little as one half-hour of practice on the task, the performance of all of the subjects was at a level much superior to a chance level of control. However, the relationship between the amount of delay time and the degree of adequacy of control performance was not very clear-cut. The group variability of tracking scores was roughly proportional to the group mean values; that is, with higher delay, the group mean values of performance errors increased, but the group variability of performance errors also increased. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0263734
Entities
People
- Harold C. Wallach
Organizations
- Human Engineering Laboratory