The effects of reward and knowledge of results on the performance of a simple vigilance task.

Abstract

80 army trainees monitored aperiodic and brief interruptions of a continuous light source under isolated conditions for a 3-hr. period. 1 group was paid on the basis of the signals they detected, 1 was informed of missed signals by a flash of light, 1 group had both knowledge of results (KR) and reward, and 1 group had neither. All experimental groups were better than the control, the group which had both KR and reward was best. Contrary to previous studies which found good and bad performers on a vigilance task, the present study finds that with the appropriate use of incentives the individual differences are attenuated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)