The development of a psychomotor vigilance test battery and the assesment of vigilance change in reaction to mental work load [Psikomotor vijilans test bataryası geliştirme ve bilişsel İş yüküne bağlı vijilans değişimlerinin değerlendirilmesi]

This study aims to establish a battery for assessing vigilance by bringing together tests assessing various cognitive functions and to evaluate vigilance change in reaction to cognitive workload. vigilance,generally defined as sustained attention and the ability to remain alert and responsive to external stimuli,is claimed to be indicative of alertness on the sleep wake spectrum regardless of any cognitive or behavioral response. the study comprises 102 participants (18-54 years of age). the study group of 51 participants (31 female) took the psychomotor vigilance test (pvt) followed by tests assessing various cognitive functions and then retook the pvt. these computerized tests lasted 60 minutes. the control group of 51 participants (33 female) retook the pvt following a 40 minute resting period. mean reaction time (rt) on the initial pvt was 292.45±32.5 ms. a significant increase in rt was found when measures on the initial and final pvt were compared in the study group (p<0.01). this difference,which was absent in the control group,was concluded to reflect a decrement in vigilance due to cognitive workload. the results in this study were consistent with the cognitive resource theory of vigilance decrement and imply that there was an increase in the rt following the administration of various cognitive tests that cause cognitive workload. © 2015,ege university press. all rights reserved.