What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to assess how passive heat stress affects cognitive performance, specifically decision-making, situational awareness, and executive functioning in military personnel.

February 5, 2026Chronic StressOpen Access

Passive Heat Stress Affects Decision-Making, but not Situational Awareness and Executive Functioning in Virtual Simulations in Military Personnel

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Authors

FSFrank P. M. SchilderUniversity Medical Center AWAntoin D. de WeijerGovernment of the United Kingdom BBBastiaan BruinsmaUniversity Medical Center

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Implication

Randomized controlled trial examines the impact of heat stress on cognitive performance in military personnel, suggesting complex interactions with decision-making.

Key Points

This study aims to assess how passive heat stress affects cognitive performance, specifically decision-making, situational awareness, and executive functioning in military personnel.
Conducted a randomized controlled trial with 68 service members.
Assigned participants to low- or high-stress groups for military simulation scenarios.
Applied passive heat stress only to the high-stress group in a controlled environment.
Evaluated decision-making and situational awareness through scenario recordings and cognitive tests.
Decision-making improved over time in the high-stress group compared to the low-stress group.
Cognitive flexibility significantly increased within both groups.
Situational awareness showed no significant differences across groups.
Exploratory analysis indicated an inverted U-shaped relationship between thermal strain and situational awareness.

Cite This Study

Schilder et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6984345ff1d9ada3c1fb266b https://doi.org/10.1177/24705470261416768

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Implication

Randomized controlled trial examines the impact of heat stress on cognitive performance in military personnel, suggesting complex interactions with decision-making.

Passive Heat Stress Affects Decision-Making, but not Situational Awareness and Executive Functioning in Virtual Simulations in Military Personnel

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Passive Heat Stress Affects Decision-Making, but not Situational Awareness and Executive Functioning in Virtual Simulations in Military Personnel

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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