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. 2010 Mar 3:5:105-13.
doi: 10.2478/v10053-008-0070-8.

Differential effects of prolonged work on performance measures in self-paced speed tests

Michael B Steinborn  1 , Hagen C Flehmig, Karl Westhoff, Robert Langner
Affiliations

Differential effects of prolonged work on performance measures in self-paced speed tests

Michael B Steinborn et al. Adv Cogn Psychol. .

Abstract

Time-related changes in the speeded performance of complex cognitive tasks are considered to arise from the combined effects of practice and mental fatigue. Here we explored the differential contributions of practice and fatigue to performance changes in a self-paced speeded mental addition and comparison task of about 50 min duration, administered twice within one week's time. Performance measures included average response speed, accuracy, and response speed variability. The results revealed differential effects of prolonged work on different performance indices: Practice effects, being more pronounced in the first session, were reflected in an improvement of average response speed, whereas mental fatigue, occurring in both sessions, was reflected in an increase of response speed variability. This demonstrates that effects of mental fatigue on average speed of performance may be masked by practice effects but still be detectable in the variability of performance. Therefore, besides experimental factors such as the length and complexity of tasks, indices of response speed variability should be taken into consideration when interpreting different aspects of performance in self-paced speed tests.

Keywords: mental fatigue; practice effects; reaction time; sustained performance; time on task.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Example of a typical sequence of trials in the Serial Mental Addition and Comparison Task (SMACT). By pressing either the left or right response key, participants indicated the side of the larger numerical value. The task is self-paced, that is, the presentation of a new trial follows immediately after the previous response.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Effects of session and time on task (TOT) on performance in the Serial Mental Addition and Comparison Task (SMACT). Data are separately displayed for response speed variability (A), average response speed (B), and accuracy (C). Standard errors (error bars) are computed according to Cousineau (2005).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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