Cognitive Flexibility and Sustained Attention

Abstract

Researchers investigating the relationship between individual differences and sustained attention tasks do not clearly find marked traits and abilities that are predictive of vigilant performance. Yet, this important research is applicable to tasks like driving, TSA monitoring, Air Traffic Control, and even for the Department of Homeland Security's civilian campaign, "See something, say something." In this paper, we take an individual differences approach to uncover the relationship between cognitive flexibility and sustained attention. Twenty-nine undergraduate students from George Mason University participated in this study for course credit. The Youmans Cognitive Flexibility Puzzle (Gonzalez, Figueroa, Bellows, Rhodes, & Youmans, 2013) was used to assess cognitive flexibility, and a modified version the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) task (Hitchcock, Warm, Matthews, Dember, Shear, Tripp et al., 2003) measured sustained attention. Mixed ANOVAs were used to analyze performance on the ATC task (hits, false alarms, reaction times). Highly flexible individuals were faster to respond despite missing signals and committing errors. Implications are discussed.

The CSSS Microworld

“…We also found that, consistent with the findings of Figueroa et al (2014), cognitive flexibility, as measured by the YCFA task, can predict the propensity to commit FAs in CCTV surveillance. In fact, high-flexibility individuals (i.e.…”

“…the propensity to switch between cognitive strategies when task demands change. In the context of a static sustained attention task, Figueroa, Youmans, and Shaw (2014) found a relationship between cognitive flexibility and the propensity to detect target stimuli.…”

Who can best find Waldo? Exploring individual differences that bolster performance in a security surveillance microworld

“…Highly flexible individuals are able to switch strategies easily rather than sticking with courses of action that are no longer optimal in the face of changing circumstances. The current findings are similar to those of Figueroa et al (2014) who found that high flexibility was related to faster responses on an ATC task, but are wider in scope.…”

“…Yet, cognitive flexibility was also related to an increase in false reports, which was also observed by Figueroa et al (2014). Individuals with higher ability to switch from one task to another might have been more easily primed by what they thought could represent an incident (or a new task), explaining the higher number of false alarms.…”

“…The Youmans Cognitive Flexibility Puzzle (Gonzalez et al, 2013) allows the assessment of cognitive flexibility, that is, the ability to abandon a cognitive strategy in favor of another based on a change in task demands (Scott, 1962). This task was used given its previously observed positive relationship with response speed in an air-traffic controller task (ATC; cf., Figueroa et al, 2014). Using the computer mouse, participants were asked to navigate a 10 Â 10 grid composed of tiles varying in shape, shape color, and background color, according to a certain matching rule based on either the shape, shape color or background color similarities.…”