The Influence of Visual Workload History on Visual Performance

Abstract

Two experiments are reported that demonstrate that visual search for a signal from a number of potential signal sources in a sustained monitoring task is dependent upon previous visual-load history. It is shown that both temporal and spatial variations in load produce performance decrements, and occasionally increments, that cannot be predicted from static-load experiments. These data are not consistent with previous attempts to explain performance changes associated with workload history. An interpretation is offered in terms of the persistence of information-processing strategies across changing task conditions.