Stress and Workload

Question 1

Different types of stress and stressors

Answer 1

1. Physical (vibration, fatigue)
2. Physiological (frustration)
3. Psychological (time pressure)
4. Environmental (heat)

Question 2

Direct stressors

Answer 2

Influence cognitive performance immediately

Question 3

Indirect stressors

Answer 3

Stressors whose affect cannot be directly observed

Question 4

Environmental stressors

Answer 4

1. Motion
2. Thermal
3. Air quality

Question 5

Psychological stressors

Answer 5

Subjective definition of a stressors; confidence of their ability to handle it; dependent on someones understanding of the situation

Question 6

Level of arousal

Answer 6

There is an inverted U shaped correlation (Yerkes-Dodson law) between stressors and performance that creates an optimum level of arousal. It also depends on task complexity.

Question 7

Overarousal effects

Answer 7

1. Cognitive tunneling (tunnel vision)
2. Working memory loss
3. Strategic shifts to a speed-accuracy trade off

Question 8

Life stress

Answer 8

Stress caused by life that decreases performance in life.

Question 9

Timeline model of workload

Answer 9

A ratio of the time required to do a task and the time available to do the task plotted over time to see if stressors are consistently and cyclically occurring.

Question 10

Mental workload model

Answer 10

A ratio of the mental resources required and the mental resources available. Same as timeline, but with cognitive demand.

Question 11

Mental fatigue

Answer 11

High and moderate mental workload deficit buildup over time. It leads to physical and cognitive performance decreases. Unable to sustain at same energy and fidelity as before.

Question 12

Vigilance and under arousal

Answer 12

Being under stimulated can cause the same type of fatigue as overloading. It can be caused from the time on the task, event salience, signal rate and arousal level.

Question 13

Sleep deprivation

Answer 13

Difficult to maintain attention, physical degradation, the whole works.