Self-pacing performance as a function of perceptual load.

Abstract

Eighteen subjects were tested at a multichannel sensorimotor task under 5 conditions of load. The task required the subject to judge in advance which channel would provide the next signal and to respond accordingly, the interval between successive signals being near random. The task was self-paced, and subjects were instructed to drive at the rate which would give them the best score. Analysis of variance showed that, irrespective of the load, subjects drove at the same rate in terms of signals per minute. But their performance was worse with larger loads, the trend being similar to that found previously under paced conditions. The effect occurred even though continuous knowledge of results was provided, while no direct information about driving rate was available. Differences between subjects were not significant.