title: Age differences in perceived workload across a short vigil.
abstract: The main objective of this research was to investigate age differences in the perceived workload associated with the performance of a demanding, high event rate, vigilance task. Younger participants (n=26) aged 16 to 35 years (M=27.8) and older participants (n=24) aged 45 to 65 years (M=52.2) completed perceived workload scales (NASA-TLX) following a brief practice session (pretest) on the vigilance task, and then again following a test session (posttest) lasting nine minutes. In relation to the vigilance task, a statistically significant performance decrement was identified, but there was no evidence that performance differed according to age in respect to that decrement. However, a dissociation was found in relation to the perceived workload ratings: while no age differences were found in vigilance performance, the workload ratings revealed older participants to perceive a significantly greater increase in workload from pretest to posttest. These findings are considered theoretically in relation to the demands placed upon attentional resources, and their implications for both laboratory-based vigilance research, and workplace systems monitoring situations, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths College, University of London, UK. d.bunce@gold.ac.uk
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bunce
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sisa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012938:Social Perception; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D006113:United Kingdom; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*