Effect of Heat and Chemical Protective Clothing on Cognitive Performance
Abstract
This study examined the effects of heat on the sustained cognitive performance of sedentary soldiers clad in chemical protective clothing, Twenty males trained for 2 weeks on selected military tasks. Then, they performed the tasks for 7-hour periods on 4 successive days in hot (32.8C.,61%rh) and normal (21.1C35%rh) conditions, with and without protective clothing. After 4-5 hours in the heat wearing protective clothing, the cognitive performance of the group began to deteriorate markedly. By the end of 7 hrs. of heat, increases in % group error on investigator-paced tasks ranged from 17% to 235 over control conditions. Virtually all of the decrements were due to increases in errors of omission. The productivity of the group on a self-paced task (map plotting) diminished by approximately 40% from control conditions after 6 hrs. in the heat in protective clothing; accuracy of plotting was not markedly affected.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA162001
Entities
People
- Bernard J. Fine
- John L. Kobrick
Organizations
- United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine