Processing Phenomena and the Dissociation Between Subjective and Objective Workload Measures (Cognition, Automaticity, Verbal Reports)

Causes of dissociation between subjective workload assessments and objective performance were investigated. A Sternberg memory search task was utilized. Sternberg task configurations varied in the automaticity of performance, stimulus presentation rate, discernability of stimuli, and the value of good performance. Automaticity in Sternberg task performance was manipulated by using two independent sets of stimuli; one of which was consistently mapped (i.e., targets were always the same) while the other was inconsistently mapped (i.e., targets changed over trials). Also, all Sternberg configurations were performed both as single tasks and as part of dual task combinations (with a manual control task). During testing subjects rated all trials on eight typical bipolar rating scales. Analysis of the results detected several differences (i.e., dissociations) between what the ratings of workload would predict and the actual performance that occurred. Most notably, the workload scales tended to underestimate the advantage of consistent Sternberg-task mapping in dual task environment and misrepresented the effects of the presentation rate and motivation manipulations. The results were interpreted as supporting cognitive-processing-based experimentation over task-characteristic research in subjective workload assessment.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Vidulich, Michael Anthony

• Psychology, Experimental

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8410064

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/69643