This note analyzes several recent experimental and theoretical reports on vigilance that use the theory of signal detectability (TSD). The psychological interpretation of the TSD measure of criterion, β, as an index of conservativeness during a vigil does not appear to be valid. As computed, β is probably an artifact due to pooling observations made under different conditions of attentiveness during a long vigil. The basic problems of vigilance research remain: to determine the condiitons that affect attentiveness in signal detection tasks.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
ColquhounW. P.BaddeleyA. D.Role of pretest expectancy in vigilance decrement.J. exp. Psychol., 1964,68, 156–160
2.
GreenD. M.Psychoacoustics and detection theory.J. acoust. soc. Amer., 1960,32, 1189–1203
3.
Hernandez-PeonR.Physiological mechanisms in attention. In RussellR. W. (Ed.) Frontiers in physiological psychology.New York: Academic Press, 1966, Pp 121–144
4.
JerisonH. J.Human and animal vigilance.Percept. mot. skills, 1965,21, 580–582
5.
JerisonH. J.Activation and long term performance.Acta Psychologica, 1967,27, 373–389
6.
JerisonH. J.PickettR. M.Vigilance: a review and re-evaluation.Human Factors, 1963,5, 211–238
7.
JerisonH. J.PickettR. M.StensonH. H.The elicited observing rate and decision processes in vigilance.Human Factors, 1965,7, 107–128
8.
LevineJ. M.The effects of values and costs on the detection and identification of signals in auditory vigilance.Human Factors, 1966,8, 525–537
9.
LoebM.BinfordJ. R.Vigilance for auditory intensity changes as a function of preliminary feedback and confidence level.Human Factors, 1964,6, 445–558
10.
MackworthJane F.Performance decrement in vigilance, threshold, and high-speed perceptual motor tasks.Canad. J. Psychol., 1964,18, 209–223
11.
TaylorM. M.Detectability theory and the interpretation of vigilance data.Acta Psychologica, 1967,27, 390–399
