DETECTABILITY MEASURES IN VIGILANCE: COMMENT ON A PAPER BY WIENER, POOCK, AND STEELE.

Results of a study of time sharing and vigilance reported by Wiener, et al. (1964) have been reanalysed from the viewpoint of signal detection theory. The reported decline in probability of detecting a signal is shown to be due entirely to a progressive change in the observers' response criteria and not to a change in the detectability of the signal. In contrast to the original report that time sharing had a non-significant effect on the probability of detecting a signal, the effect on the detectability of the signal is large. The importance of considering detectability rather than detection measures in vigilance studies is stressed. (Author)
Pub. in Perceptual and Motor Skills, v20 p1217-21 1965 (Copies not available to DDC or Clearinghouse customers).