Vibration,Performance,and Personality

Abstract

The present study was conducted using 16 Subjects, two test sites and two levels of vibration to investigate the “Fatigue Decreased Proficiency Boundary (FDPB) set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The Subjects were qualified physically fit for exposure to whole-body, z-axis vibration. The Subject's seat was a rigid, tractor-type, unpadded seat mounted on a base plate which carried footrests and handgrips. The test sites were in the Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, and were selected to accommodate all the vibration frequencies used in an entire series of studies conducted by the University of Dayton Research Institute in conjunction with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

Performance, physiological, and subjective measurements were taken in five test sessions for each subject individually. The physiological measure was heart rate. The subjective measures were ratings of motion severity and task difficulty. The Institute for Personality and Ability Testing Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (IPAT 16 PF) was administered.

It was concluded that vibration induced at the level of the ISO FDPB did not affect human performance. Motion severity and task difficulty were rated significantly higher under the 8 Hz condition than under the 0 Hz condition and were significantly correlated to each other. No differences emerged between the two different vibration sites. The introversion vs. extraversion scale was not significantly correlated to the motion severity nor the task difficulty scale as hypothesized. The introversion vs. extraversion scale was significantly correlated with all the measures of heart rate. That is, the Subjects who exhibited highest heart rates tended to score on introversion end of the Factor Q_Iscale.