Target Information Processing: The Effects on Reaction Time of Terrain, Downlook Angle, and Response Processing Level

Abstract

This experiment explored the applicability of a serial exhaustive memory scan as a model of the observer's cognitive behavior in a target acquisition task. Reaction times were examined for identification, recognition (friend-enemy), and set responses to stimulus scenes consisting of armored vehicles varying in background (forest, road, or plain) and downlook angle (10 degrees, 20 degrees, or 30 degrees). Positive set size was either one, two, or four vehicles. The results provided support for the serial exhaustive model in the linear set size function with a zero intercept of 1.4 seconds (s) and a slope of .2 s. Parallel functions were obtained for the forest condition adding .2 s over the equivalent road and plain conditions. The 10 degrees downlook angle resulted in the slowest response times, and the 20 degrees angle the fastest. The response times were the fastest for the positive set items only, followed in order by recognition and identification responses. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 1980
Accession Number
ADA107295

Entities

People

  • Richard M. Johnson

Organizations

  • U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Armored Vehicles
  • Army Personnel
  • Cognition
  • Combat Vehicles
  • Data Analysis
  • Information Processing
  • Military Research
  • Personnel Management
  • Psychology
  • Reaction Time
  • Social Sciences
  • Target Acquisition
  • Target Recognition
  • Training
  • Training Management
  • War Colleges

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Brain and Cognitive Science; Experimental Psychology; Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Forest Ecology
  • Radar Systems Engineering.