Performance on a Vigilance Task under Conditions of True and False Knowledge of Results

Abstract

A vigilance study comparing the effects of true and false knowledge of results is presented. The study determines at what point, if any, the effects of false knowledge of results (FKR) reflect the results of earlier vigilance studies involving true knowledge of results (KR). The task used required a response to a signal on a display panel. The KR was either true or randomly generated FKR. Latency of response was the dependent variable. The results demonstrated that groups receiving KR do not differ significantly in performance from groups receiving FKR. The best results were obtained at the 100% feedback level, a drop occurred at the 50% level, and the hypothesized drop in performance occurred between 30% and 20%.