Multiple Monitors and Knowledge of Results in Vigilance: The Decrement Still Wins

Abstract

Research has demonstrated that knowledge of results (KR) can improve vigilance performance and that certain types of KR can even eliminate the vigilance decrement. Likewise, researchers have shown that having a number of operators perform a vigil in a multiple-monitor setting can also increase performance on sustained attention tasks. The present study was conducted to determine if using KR in a multiple-monitor setting would eliminate the vigilance decrement and improve performance as measured by signal detection indices. Subjects completed an absolute judgement task either in pairs or individually and received KR to hits, false alarms, misses, or no KR. The results indicated that even KR in a multiple-monitor paradigm was not sufficient to combat the vigilance decrement. Characteristics of the task, the social interaction between monitors, the use of signal detection indices, and the practical implications of the findings are discussed.