STIR: Assessing and Training Response Inhibition Abilities
Abstract
Shooting a firearm involves a complex series of actions, and each action depends on a distinct cognitive process (e.g., finding targets involves visual search, aiming involves perceptual judgments of distance and motion). Examining these action-cognition links provides a valuable tool for revealing how cognitive mechanisms interact with one another in addition to offering new avenues for enhancing shooting performance and safety. The present study established a direct relationship between a critical shooting error, civilian casualties, and a particular cognitive ability, response inhibition. Response inhibition abilities significantly correlated with civilian casualties in a shooting simulation, and response inhibition training but not a control form of cognition training reduced civilian casualties. Survey and behavioral measures revealed that civilian casualties were not related to motor impulsivity (i.e., an itchy trigger finger), but rather to an individual s ability to withhold an initiated response (i.e., an itchy brain). This study demonstrated successful response inhibition training and far transfer 1,2 learning, where individuals improved on a task only conceptually related to the training. Likewise, the study demonstrated the rich potential of developing specific forms of cognitive training to improve shooting performance for military and law enforcement personnel.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 30, 2014
- Accession Number
- ADA627031
Entities
People
- Adam T. Biggs
- Stephen R. Mitroff
Organizations
- Duke University