Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2009

City

Dayton

Abstract

In this paper, we describe an individual differences model of vigilance performance—the ability to maintain one’s focus of attention and remain alert for prolonged periods of time—and summarize our model evaluation research. Our goal was an automated test battery (Vigilant Warrior™) that could be employed to select personnel with superior abilities for assignment to critical vigilance duties. Thus, we conducted extensive laboratory research to identify an optimal set of vigilance predictors and validate them against a simulated, real-world, electronic-display, battlefieldmonitoring task with high vigilance requirements. The results confirmed that an objective, Short Vigilance Task (SVT), coupled with analytic skill and stress-coping measures, could account for 33% or more of the criterion variance. Moreover, the SVT was the most powerful predictor in the battery. Analytic skill and situational variables contributed to vigilance performance, but to a lesser degree. Vigilant Warrior™ is currently receiving extensive field testing in military settings.

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