A Two-Term Exponential Functional Description of the Time Course of Sustained Attention

Giambra, Leonard M.; Quilter, Reginald E.

doi:10.1177/001872088702900603

Cited by 30 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…First, we extracted the linear slope of the reciprocal of reaction times (RRT). Additionally, we measured two parameters based on a least-squares fit to a two-component exponential function [39], which has been found to account for more of the variance in TOT than a simple linear fit. The equation used was:where A is a multiplicative constant and t is time from test onset.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dopaminergic Polymorphisms Associated with Time-on-Task Declines and Fatigue in the Psychomotor Vigilance Test

et al. 2012

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Prolonged demands on the attention system can cause a decay in performance over time known as the time-on-task effect. The inter-subject differences in the rate of this decline are large, and recent efforts have been made to understand the biological bases of these individual differences. In this study, we investigate the genetic correlates of the time-on-task effect, as well as its accompanying changes in subjective fatigue and mood. N = 332 subjects performed a 20-minute test of sustained attention (the Psychomotor Vigilance Test) and rated their subjective states before and after the test. We observed substantial time-on-task effects on average, and large inter-individual differences in the rate of these declines. The 10-repeat allele of the variable number of tandem repeats marker (VNTR) in the dopamine transporter gene and the Met allele of the catechol-o-methyl transferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism were associated with greater vulnerability to time-on-task. Separately, the exon III DRD4 48 bp VNTR of the dopamine receptor gene DRD4 was associated with subjective decreases in energy. No polymorphisms were associated with task-induced changes in mood. We posit that the dopamine transporter and COMT genes exert their effects by increasing dopaminergic tone, which may induce long-term changes in the prefrontal cortex, an important mediator of sustained attention. Thus, these alleles may affect performance particularly when sustained dopamine release is necessary.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dopaminergic Polymorphisms Associated with Time-on-Task Declines and Fatigue in the Psychomotor Vigilance Test

et al. 2012

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“…Since increasing time on task is presumably correlated with changes in several variables (e.g., facets of arousal, fatigue, task engagement, or effort investment), the functional interpretation of time-related changes in brain activity might benefit from a moderation analysis approach, which examines how within-subject associations between brain and performance or subjective state are moderated by time on task, including non-linear relationships (cf. Giambra & Quilter, 1987). …”

Section: Limitations and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustaining attention to simple tasks: A meta-analytic review of the neural mechanisms of vigilant attention.

Langner¹,

Eickhoff²

2013

Psychological Bulletin

569

491

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Maintaining attention for more than a few seconds is essential for mastering everyday life. Yet, our ability to stay focused on a particular task is limited, resulting in well-known performance decrements with increasing time on task. Intriguingly, such decrements are even more likely if the task is cognitively simple and repetitive. The attentional function that enables our prolonged engagement in intellectually unchallenging, uninteresting activities has been termed “vigilant attention.” Here we synthesized what we have learnt from functional neuroimaging about the mechanisms of this essential mental faculty. To this end, a quantitative meta-analysis of pertinent neuroimaging studies was performed, including supplementary analyses of moderating factors. Furthermore, we reviewed the available evidence on neural time-on-task effects, additionally considering information obtained from patients with focal brain damage. Integrating the results of both meta-analysis and review, a set of mainly right-lateralized brain regions was identified that may form the core network subserving vigilant attention in humans, including dorsomedial, mid- and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior insula, parietal areas (intraparietal sulcus, temporo-parietal junction), and subcortical structures (cerebellar vermis, thalamus, putamen, midbrain). We discuss the potential functional roles of different nodes of this network as well as implications of our findings for a theoretical account of vigilant attention. It is conjectured that sustaining attention is a multi-component, non-unitary mental faculty, involving a mixture of (i) sustained/recurrent processes subserving task-set/arousal maintenance and (ii) transient processes subserving the target-driven reorienting of attention. Finally, limitations of previous studies are considered and suggestions for future research are provided.

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“…At the beginning of task execution, FP(t) is 1 and declines as time on task elapses, which causes production utilities to decrease. This equation reflects mathematical characterizations of the vigilance decrement, which has fit exponential functions to vigilance data (Giambra & Quilter, 1987). The probability of microlapses is influenced by the utility values of the productions and the utility threshold.…”

Section: Fatigue Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional Equivalence of Sleep Loss and Time on Task Effects in Sustained Attention

Veksler

Gunzelmann

2017

Cognitive Science

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Research on sleep loss and vigilance both focus on declines in cognitive performance, but theoretical accounts have developed largely in parallel in these two areas. In addition, computational instantiations of theoretical accounts are rare. The current work uses computational modeling to explore whether the same mechanisms can account for the effects of both sleep loss and time on task on performance. A classic task used in the sleep deprivation literature, the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT), was extended from the typical 10-min duration to 35 min, to make the task similar in duration to traditional vigilance tasks. A computational cognitive model demonstrated that the effects of time on task in the PVT were equivalent to those observed with sleep loss. Subsequently, the same mechanisms were applied to a more traditional vigilance task-the Mackworth Clock Task-providing a good fit to existing data. This supports the hypothesis that these different types of fatigue may produce functionally equivalent declines in performance.

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A Two-Term Exponential Functional Description of the Time Course of Sustained Attention

Cited by 30 publications

References 13 publications

Dopaminergic Polymorphisms Associated with Time-on-Task Declines and Fatigue in the Psychomotor Vigilance Test

Dopaminergic Polymorphisms Associated with Time-on-Task Declines and Fatigue in the Psychomotor Vigilance Test

Sustaining attention to simple tasks: A meta-analytic review of the neural mechanisms of vigilant attention.

Functional Equivalence of Sleep Loss and Time on Task Effects in Sustained Attention

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