Emotional State and Personality: A Proof of Concept Model for Predicting Performance Under Stress

Abstract

Combat medics must be capable of performing under difficult and highly stressful situations. However, not all individuals are equal in how stressful situations are handled. Some individuals may perform better in highly stressful situations than others, especially when faced with horrific injuries while taking enemy fire. Evidence suggests that performance under stress may be affected by the interaction of stable personality traits with state emotional factors. There are presently no reliable tools for screening and selecting individuals for combat medic positions. We, therefore, developed statistical models based on empirical data that combines emotional state determinants and personality traits to predict cognitive performance under stress. Models were initially developed in Phase I using a validated psychosocial stress test. The statistical models were then validated in Phase II under different stressful circumstances (i.e., sleep deprivation and a physical stress task). The validated statistical models can be used to predict cognitive responses to stress via personality and emotional state metrics.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2020
Accession Number
AD1108957

Entities

People

  • William D.s. Killgore

Organizations

  • University of Arizona

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Brain
  • Cognition
  • Cognitive Science
  • Drug Abuse
  • Health Services
  • Human Behavior
  • Medical Personnel
  • Neuroimaging
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

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