William “Deak” S. Helton
The DEAKS LaboratoryDifferences in Expertise, Attention, Knowledge, and Stress
Not only are there individual differences in vigilance declines, there are also differences in stress reactions to these tasks. We study these differences in stress reactions as well, using both physiological and subjective measures. We are also interested in the development of the skill (expertise and knowledge) necessary to perform some of these sustained attention tasks. Many jobs requiring sustained attention also require perceptual expertise. This is the case with both human and canine workers. Human baggage inspectors not only have to maintain attention, they must also be skilled at recognizing threat items. Mine detection dogs, likewise, must maintain attention and be skilled at detecting explosives. We study both the maintenance of attention and the development of expertise because they are interrelated. Research LinksMinimitter Actigraph Manufacturer Arrington Research Eye-tracker Manufacturer |
We study the role of attention in performance. In particular, we are interested in attentional resource theory as it applies to human and canine performance. Attention seems to be limited and can be metaphorically thought of as a limited pool of attentional “stuff” that can be allocated selectively to activities. In tasks requiring sustained attention, there is a notable decline in performance over time. Perhaps, the attentional resources are being used-up and not replenished, as there is no time for recovery-rest. Individuals do vary, however, in how susceptible they are to this depletion.