Temporal limitations in multiple target detection in a dynamic monitoring task.
OBJECTIVE
Two experiments examined the detectability of multiple transient changes within a cluttered and dynamic display (a simulated sonar display).


BACKGROUND
Research suggests that there are severe limitations when multiple targets must be detected within close temporal proximity. The present research explored whether these limitations influence performance in a dynamic monitoring task.


METHODS
Participants monitored a cluttered and dynamic display and reported the number of new objects that appeared (one to four objects). The time between onset events was varied. A blinking cue sometimes accompanied each new object, giving observers multiple opportunities to detect it.


RESULTS
A large decrease in performance was observed when participants were asked to detect multiple targets within a short period of time. Performance was worse than predicted based on the attention literature. Performance suffered when observers were asked to detect more than two or three targets. The blinking cue greatly attenuated this performance deficit, even for short-duration blinking cues (one blink).


CONCLUSIONS
Operators can easily become overwhelmed when asked to respond to even a small number of events when these events occur close in time. Extending transient events in time improves performance, but some attentional limitations may be difficult or impossible to overcome.


CONCLUSIONS
These results have important implications for systems in which important events may occur within close temporal proximity (e.g., when a sonar operator is tasked with detecting threats in the battle space). Situations in which these limitations may or may not influence performance are discussed.
Boot
Walter R
WR
Department of Psychology, Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. wboot@cyrus.psych.uiuc.edu
Becic
Ensar
E
Kramer
Arthur F
AF
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology*; D003626:Data Display; D005403:Fixation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D010470:Perceptual Masking / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors