The Variable Response-Stimulus Interval Effect and Sleep Deprivation: An Unexplored Aspect of Psychomotor Vigilance Task Performance

Abstract

We demonstrate that the cognitive mechanism of attention responsible for response preparation across seconds is distinct from that for maintaining attention to task performance across minutes. Of these, only vigilance across minutes is degraded by sleep deprivation. Theories of sleep deprivation should consider how this pattern of spared and impaired aspects of attention may affect real-world performance.