The differential effects of speed and load stress on task performance

Author / Creator

Jeantheau, Gabriel, author

Available as

Online

Summary

"This study investigated effects of speed-load stress (input rate and variety) on performance in an information-processing task requiring discrimination of pairs of identical symbols within matrice...

"This study investigated effects of speed-load stress (input rate and variety) on performance in an information-processing task requiring discrimination of pairs of identical symbols within matrices of three levels of word length end five levels of presentation rate. Error scores and a derived information measure were used to assess performance. Results indicated that increases in both speed and load seriously impair performance. The data fitted to an information specification of the stimulus situation failed to provide a unitary function. Information scores plotted against mean number of paired comparisons per second, however, yielded a single function which described all conditions and accounted for the high interaction component. It was concluded that (a) specification of the stimulus situation alone does not adequately explain performance, and (b) use of information measures in tasks of this type adds little or nothing to such explanations. A more pertinent consideration is the actual operations required in responding to the task situation."--Abstract.

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