Abstract
Working memory load is critically important for the overall level of performance on vigilance tasks. However, its role in a key aspect of vigilance—sensitivity decrement over time—is unclear. We used a dual-task procedure in which either a spatial or a nonspatial working memory task was performed simultaneously with a spatial vigilance task for 20 min. Sensitivity in the vigilance task declined over time when the concurrent task involved spatial working memory. In contrast, there was no sensitivity decrement with a nonspatial working memory task. The results provide the first evidence of a specific role for working memory representation in vigilance decrement. The findings are also consistent with a multiple resource theory in which separate resources for memory representation and cognitive control operations are differentially susceptible to depletion over time, depending on the demands of the task at hand.
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This research was supported by NIH Grant AG19653 from the National Institute of Aging to R.P.
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Caggiano, D.M., Parasuraman, R. The role of memory representation in the vigilance decrement. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 11, 932–937 (2004). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03196724
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03196724