An exploratory investigation of various assessment instruments as correlates of complex visual monitoring performance.

PDFTech ReportFAA-AM-80-17DOT/FAA/AM-80/17Radar air traffic controlAir traffic controllersAttentionVigilanceAutomationMonitoringPerformanceExperimentsHuman subject testingCorrelation analysisUnited StatesCivil Aerospace Medical InstituteThackray, Richard I.Touchstone, R. MarkCivil Aeromedical InstituteUnited States. Office of Aviation MedicineNTL-AVIATION-Air Traffic ControlUS Transportation CollectionThe present study examined a variety of possible predictors of complex monitoring performance. The criterion task was designed to resemble that of a highly automated air traffic control radar system containing computer-generated alphanumeric displays. Forty-five men and women were administered a battery of tests and task prior to performing the criterion task. Extreme groups, separated on the basis of their performance decrement scores, differed significantly on 6 of the 28 predictor variables.In general, the significant relationships obtained were in accordance with expectations. All correlations were low which agrees with the findings of previous studies of predictors of performance on simple vigilance tasks. Since the criterion task simulated the task requirements of advanced, highly automated air traffic control systems still in the planning stage, the utility of any of the significant predictors in predicting performance of controllers on contemporary systems would require further research using actual performance of present-day controllers on such systems as the criterion