Time-sharing ability in complex performance : an expanded replication.

PDFTech ReportFAA-AM-78-33DOT/FAA/AM-78/33PerformanceTime managementMultitaskingMonitoringAttentionProblem solvingFactor analysisVarianceExperimentsHuman subject testingUnited StatesCivil Aerospace Medical InstituteJennings, Alan E.Chiles, W. DeanCivil Aeromedical InstituteUnited States. Office of Aviation MedicineNTL-AVIATION-AVIATIONNTL-AVIATION-Aviation Human FactorsUS Transportation CollectionFactor analyses were performed on data from 51 subjects tested on the CAMI Multiple Task Performance Battery (MTPB). Five different complex performance task combinations were used as well as the six individual MTPB tasks performed by themselves. The primary treatment of the data involved factor analyses of the tasks of the five different complex tasks along with appropriate measures of the tasks performed singly.The results were interpreted to support the hypothesized existence of a time-sharing ability. Orthogonal factors were found on which the monitoring tasks, in general, loaded during simple performance; the monitoring tasks loaded on separate orthogonal factors when they were performed as a part of a complex task. Potential relevance of these findings to aviation selection and performance research programs is noted