Adaptive Measurement of Vigilance Decrement

This paper describes a computer-baserd monitoring task which is adaptive, or self-adjusting, with the size of the signal stimulus (compared to a fixed non-signal stimulus) being mediated by the detection score of the subject, so as to maintain a constant detection rate. Data are presented which indicate that in order to maintain a fixed detection criterion over a 48-min vigil, the adaptive variable (separation distance of a pair of dots presented simultaneously) behaved in a manner consistent with the usual measures of vigilance decrement. Several adaptive strategies are discussed