TIME, UNCERTAINTY, AND INCENTIVE VARIABLES IN COMPOSITE TASK PERFORMANCE.
Abstract
Within complex man-machine systems, individual operators are commonly required to perform two or more functions concurrently. This report describes two empirical evaluations of the effects of variables common to complex systems upon the performance of a composite task comprised of two serial tasks. The first study investigated the effects of signal rate, signal duration and signal onset predictability upon performance accuracy and latency. Accuracy scores were reliably decreased by increased signal rate and increased onset predictability, although signal duration produced no reliable differences. Latency scores were insensitive to all three independent variables. In the second study, two variables were evaluated for their effects upon the accuracy of performance on the individual channels. One variable was the redundancy of signals on the second channel; the other was the ratio of incentive pay for the first and second channels. Performance improved reliably with signal redundancy for only the channel whose signal redundancy was increased. Different ratios of incentive pay did not produce reliable differences in performance for either channel, although certain trends were noted. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0624830
Entities
People
- George N. Ornstein
- Harry P. Bahrick
- John B. Feallock