A Review of Individual Operational Cognitive Readiness: Theory Development and Future Directions

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive and original review of the theoretical development of the individual operational cognitive readiness (OCR) theory. Background: Cognitive readiness (CR) is a concept that has the potential to predict the performance of human individuals and teams prior to engaging in complex, dynamic, and resource-limited task environments. However, the current state of the literature is confusing and laborious, with heterogeneous views regarding the theoretical frameworks among leading researchers. Method: This review (1) undertakes a systematic approach toward categorizing published CR literature into theoretical and measurement contributions across the different levels of CR, (2) carries a critical evaluation of the CR and OCR theoretical frameworks, and (3) provides directions for future research guided by gaps identified during the review process and other published literatures. Results: Results from the categorization of published CR literature provide a new, valuable, synthesized CR library for researchers to consult to streamline their CR literature review process. Critical examination of the CR and OCR theoretical frameworks leads to positing that new components should be explored for OCR. Conclusion: There are many possible directions for future research including evaluating domain-independent components of OCR and evaluating the relationship between biofeedback measures and performance in CR models. Application: The Defense domain continues to be the focal application of CR. However, CR could be used by other application domains, such as sports and emergency services, that require their working personnel to engage in complex, uncertain, and dynamic task environments.

Cognitive Fitness Framework: Towards Assessing, Training and Augmenting Individual-Difference Factors Underpinning High-Performance Cognition

“…The recovery phase completes the cycle, with its role widely recognized by expert consensus (Kellmann et al, 2018;Reardon et al, 2019), employing both reflexive (e.g., mindfulness) and restorative practices (e.g., healthy eating, hydration and sleep hygiene) and relying on social support. The full cycle reinforces the cognitive fundamentals that are known for their contribution to both real-time cognitive performance under challenging conditions (Blank et al, 2014;Crameri et al, 2019) and the resilience that enables career longevity and life-long thriving (Seligman, 2008;Cornum et al, 2011).…”

“…As a result, their neuro-psychological bases remain unclear, and the question of their measurement is left wide open. The extensive set of CR constructs (Cosenzo et al, 2007;Grier, 2011Grier, , 2012O'Neil et al, 2014) is focused on higher-order abilities, such as decision making, problem-solving and metacognition, it also contains some underlying cognitive capacity constructs of agility, speed of processing and memory capacity (for review, see Crameri et al, 2019).…”

“…CF (Aidman, 2017) corresponds to the cognitive element of this latter CR component. Despite the lack of causal cognitive mechanisms explained by the CR construct (Crameri et al, 2019) it has been instrumental in stimulating the development of measurement frameworks for assessing individuals' and teams' fluctuating capacity for operational task performance (Fatkin and Patton, 2008;Grier et al, 2012) and evaluating training interventions to improve it (Kluge and Burkolter, 2013;Peña and Brody, 2016). The explanatory power of the CR construct can be enhanced by establishing its connections to causal factors, such as arousal regulation, discomfort tolerance and inhibitory control, underpinning an individual's performance in cognitively demanding tasks.…”

Quantifying Dynamic Resilience using First-process Autoregressive Modelling: An Empirical Study

“…In conclusion, while an individual's resilience alone will not be the determinant factor for recruitment or task selection, it should be considered as part of a wider collaboration of cognitive mechanisms to profile personnel's cognitive aptitude (Aidman, 2020;Crameri et al, 2019). However, selecting the appropriate resilience measure to assist in profiling personnel's cognitive readiness or cognitive fitness for a task is still unclear.…”

Effects of Dynamic Resilience on the Reactivity of Vagally Mediated Heart Rate Variability

“…By testing combinations of performance and physiological measures for predictive power of dynamic resilience and performance, future dynamic resilience assessments can be enhanced and automated to provide quick accurate information of working personnel for industry organizations. Lastly, dynamic resilience theory and metrics could be examined as part of a more global cognitive performance theory and assessments such as Cognitive Readiness constructs (Grier, 2012 ; O'Neil et al, 2014 ; Crameri et al, 2019 ) or Cognitive Fitness assessments (Aidman, 2020 ). This would be most suitable at the operational and tactical levels of cognitive readiness, and either the cognitive gym, advanced cognitive training, or mission-ready training of the cognitive fitness framework depending on the training or monitoring objectives; for example, fatigue tolerance assessments (Aidman et al, 2018 ; Crameri et al, 2019 ; Aidman, 2020 ).…”