Monitoring Performance on Visual and Auditory Displays

Abstract

This experiment was designed to compare the monitoring performance of Ss using a visual display with the performance of Ss using an auditory display. 24 Ss were randomly assigned to monitor either the visual or the auditory display for a 3-hr. period. Two measures of performance, reaction time and probability of responding, were obtained during the monitoring session. An analysis of the results indicates that Ss who monitored the auditory display had shorter reaction times, higher probability of responding, and less variability than Ss who monitored the visual display.