The Diurnal Function of Reading Rate, Comprehension and Efficiency.

Abstract

The time course of RR (Reading Rate) and RC (Reading Comprehension), when examined autorhythmometrically, has shown diurnal functions distinctly different from each other. Reading rate appears to be faster in the morning hours, progressively decreasing over the day. Reading comprehension improved from a low morning point to mid-day peaks, falling again late at night much the same way as oral temperature (OT). Reading efficiency is affected by performance in rate and comprehension. The function appears bimodal with a general shape similar to reading comprehension. The circadian rhythms of oral temperature, general activation (GA) and memory were found to be synchronous, all peaking mid-afternoon. Attempts to predict the values of either OT, GA, STM (Short-Term Memory) or reading performance from knowing the value of the other variable at a particular time were not successful. Holding time-of-day constant, thus removing the circadian effect, would only indicate direction of change. The fact that cause-effect relationships between these functions could not be established by this method may indicate that these functions operate somewhat independently. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1979
Accession Number
ADA118118

Entities

People

  • Carl E. Englund

Organizations

  • Naval Health Research Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Analysis Of Variance
  • Biomedical Research
  • Body Temperature
  • Circadian Rhythms
  • Classification
  • Comprehension
  • Controlled Environment
  • Data Science
  • Efficiency
  • Information Science
  • Least Squares Method
  • Measurement
  • Motor Skills
  • Performance Tests
  • Sleep Deprivation
  • Time Series Analysis

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.
  • Speech Processing/Speech Recognition.