Abstract
SYNWORK1 is a computer-based performance task that requires subjects to work simultaneously on four distinct subtasks involving memory, arithmetic processing, and visual and auditory monitoring. Difficulty levels, the payoff matrix, feedback levels, and component subtask mix are user selectable. Detailed data are automatically collected, and a suite of data analysis programs is available. SYNWORK1 is being used in sleep-deprivation and circadian desynchronization experiments and in a variety of clinical research applications. Representative data from a sleep-deprivation experiment are presented to demonstrate the sensitivity of the technique. The strategy used for programming concurrent tasks on a PC is described.
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The author was supported by the Office of Naval Technology, under work units 63706NM0096.002-6201 and 62233N MM3P30-002-6005, and Program Executive Officer Surface Ship ASW Systems Task SSAS-91-77A01R2. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Department of the Navy, Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government. This program was written while the author was a visiting scientist at the Naval Health Research Center. The author wishes to acknowledge the advice and guidance of F. W. Hegge and P. Naitoh during this project. Software may be obtained at no cost by sending the author a formatted, floppy disk of any size, or by downloading it from the electronic bulletin board system maintained by the Office of Military Performance Assessment Technology (OMPAT). Contact the author at (202)576-3006 to become a registered OMPAT BBS user.
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Elsmore, T.F. SYNWORK1: A PC-based tool for assessment of performance in a simulated work environment. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers 26, 421–426 (1994). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03204659
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03204659