Psychophysiological Effects of Paced and Self-Paced Work in Relation to Motivational,External and Internal Attentional Requirements of a Task *

Abstract

This paper presents a design by which psychophysiological and behavioral responses in laboratory-controlled paced/self-paced work are evaluated by manipulating both the attentional environment so that the task is either predominantly perceptual in nature (external attention) or, alternatively, characterized primarily by mental operations (internal attention) as well as the level of attention through the use of incentives in an attempt to identify and rationalize possible differences in paced/self-paced work. It is argued that when basic methodological issues intrinsic to psychophysiological and paced/self-paced studies in general are considered, along with an analysis in terms of both short-(trial-by-trial as well as trial components) term and long-term (entire task) psychophysiological and behavioral responses, the task of locating and evaluating stress within the paced/self-paced work environment becomes less elusive.

(b) Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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