A Comparison of Rating Scale,Secondary-Task,Physiological,and Primary-Task Workload Estimation Techniques in a Simulated Flight Task Emphasizing Communications Load
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online December, 1983
A Comparison of Rating Scale,Secondary-Task,Physiological,and Primary-Task Workload Estimation Techniques in a Simulated Flight Task Emphasizing Communications Load
Sixteen potential metrics of pilot mental workload were investigated regarding their sensitivity to communication load and their intrusion on primary-task performance. A moving-base flight simulator was used to present three cross-country flights. The flights varied only in the difficulty of the communications requirements. Rating scale measures were obtained immediately postflight; all others were taken over a 7-min segment of the flight task. The results indicated that both the Modified Cooper-Harper Scale and the workload Multi-descriptor Scale were sensitive to changes in communications load. The secondary-task measure of time estimation and the physiological measure of pupil diameter were also sensitive. As expected, those primary-task measures that were direct measures of communicative performance were also sensitive to load, whereas aircraft control primary-task measures were not, attesting to the task specificity of such measures. Finally, the intrusion analysis revealed no differential interference between workload measures.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Berliner, C., Angell, D., and Shearer, D. J. Behaviors, measures, and instruments for performance evaluation in simulated environments. Paper presented at the Symposium and Workshop on the Quantification of Human Performance, Albuquerque, New Mexico, August, 1964.
2.
Bird, K. L.Subjective rating scales as a workload assessment technique. In Proceedings of the Seventeenth Annual Conference on Manual Control (Publ. No. 81-95). Pasadena, CA: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, June, 1982, 33–39.
3.
Butterbaugh, L. C.Crew workload technology review and problem assessment. (Technical Memorandum, AFFDL-TM-78-74-FGR). Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH: Flight Dynamics Laboratory, January, 1978.
4.
Casali, J. G. A sensitivity/intrusion comparison of mental workload estimation techniques using a simulated flight task emphasizing perceptual piloting behaviors. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA: 1982.
5.
Casali, J. G., and Wierwille, W. W.A sensitivity/intrusion comparison of mental workload estimation techniques using a flight task emphasizing perceptual piloting activities. In Proceedings of the 1982 International IEEE Conference on Cybernetics and Society. New York: IEEE, 1982, 598–602.
6.
Casali, J. G., Wierwille, W. W., and Cordes, R. E.Respiratory measurement: Overview and new instrumentation. Behavior Research Methods and Instrumentation, 15, 401–405.
7.
Cooper, G. E., and Harper, R. P., Jr.The use of pilot rating in the evaluation of aircraft handling qualities (NASA TN-D-5153). Moffett Field, CA: NASA-Ames Research Center, April, 1969.
8.
Cramer, C. Y.A first course in methods of multivariate analysis. Blacksburg, VA: Author, 1972.
9.
Duncan, D. B.t-tests and intervals for comparisons suggested by the data. Biometrics, 1975, 31, 339–359.
10.
Hart, S. G., and McPherson, D.Airline pilot time estimation during concurrent activity including simulated flight. Paper presented at the 47th Annual Meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association, Bal Harbour, Florida, May, 1976.
11.
Hicks, T. G., and Wierwille, W. W.Comparison of five mental workload assessment procedures in a moving-base driving simulator. Human Factors, 1979, 21, 192–203.
12.
Hollander, M., and Wolfe, D. A.Nonparametric statistical methods. New York: Wiley, 1973.
13.
Keppel, G.Design and analysis: A researcher's handbook. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1973.
14.
Michon, J. A.Tapping regularity as a measure of perceptual motor load. Ergonomics, 1966, 9, 402–412.
15.
Rahimi, M. Evaluation of workload estimation techniques in simulated piloting tasks emphasizing mediational activity. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 1982.
16.
Rahimi, M., and Wierwille, W. W.Evaluation of the sensitivity and intrusion of workload estimation techniques in piloting tasks emphasizing mediational activity. In Proceedings of the 1982 IEEE International Conference on Cybernetics and Society. New York: IEEE1982, 593–597.
17.
Roscoe, A. H. (Ed.) Assessing pilot workload (AGARD-AG-233). Neuilly-sur-Seine, France: NATO, February, 1978.
18.
SAS Institute, Inc.SAS User's guide; 1979 edition. Cary, NC: Author, 1979.
19.
Wierwille, W. W., and Casali, J. G.A validated rating scale for global mental workload measurement applications. In Proceedings of the 27th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors Society, 1983.
20.
Wierwille, W. W., and Connor, S. A.Evaluation of twenty pilot workload measures using a psychomotor task in a moving-base aircraft simulator. Human Factors, 1983, 25, 1–16.
21.
Wierwille, W. W., and Gutmann, J. C.Comparison of primary and secondary task measures as a function of simulated vehicle dynamics and driving conditions. Human Factors, 1978, 20, 233–244.
22.
Wierwille, W. W., and Williges, R. C.Survey and analysis of operator workload assessment techniques (Report No. S-78-101). Blacksburg, VA: Systemetrics, Inc., September, 1978.
23.
Wierwille, W. W., and Williges, B. H.An annotated bibliography on operator mental workload assessment Technical Report SY-27R-80. Patuxent River, MD: Naval Air Test Center, March, 1980.
24.
Winer, B. J.Statistical principles in experimental design, second edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1971.
