Means and 95% Confidence intervals for Stroop reaction time on neutral trials, and NASA-TLX measures of frustration and mental demand by load condition across the three testing blocks.

<p>Means and 95% Confidence intervals for Stroop reaction time on neutral trials, and NASA-TLX measures of frustration and mental demand by load condition across the three testing blocks.</p

Number of participants in each between-subjects condition.

<p>Number of participants in each between-subjects condition.</p

Effect sizes, calculated as Cohen’s d, of the difference between pre to post moderate-load drive change and pre to post low-load drive change.

<p>Positive effect size represents a higher pre-post change over the moderate rather than low-load drive. Accuracy = MDMT diagnostic accuracy; Confidence = MDMT diagnostic confidence; Competence to Decisiveness = MDMT decision patterns described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0115689#s1" target="_blank">introduction</a> and method; Mental demand to Frustration = NASA-TLX ratings described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0115689#s2" target="_blank">method</a>; Mean RT = mean reaction time on Stroop test items (incongruent, neutral or congruent items); Errors = error frequency on Stroop test items (incongruent, neutral or congruent items). **p<.01; *p<.05.</p

Low Cognitive Load and Reduced Arousal Impede Practice Effects on Executive Functioning, Metacognitive Confidence and Decision Making

<div><p>The present study investigated the effects of low cognitive workload and the absence of arousal induced via external physical stimulation (motion) on practice-related improvements in executive (inhibitory) control, short-term memory, metacognitive monitoring and decision making. A total of 70 office workers performed low and moderately engaging passenger tasks in two successive 20-minute simulated drives and repeated a battery of decision making and inhibitory control tests three times – before, between and after these drives. For half the participants, visual simulation was synchronised with (moderately arousing) motion generated through LAnd Motion Platform, with vibration levels corresponding to a well-maintained unsealed road. The other half performed the same simulated drive without motion. Participants’ performance significantly improved over the three test blocks, which is indicative of typical practice effects. The magnitude of these improvements was the highest when both motion and moderate cognitive load were present. The same effects declined either in the absence of motion (low arousal) or following a low cognitive workload task, thus suggesting two distinct pathways through which practice-related improvements in cognitive performance may be hampered. Practice, however, degraded certain aspects of metacognitive performance, as participants became less likely to detect incorrect decisions in the decision-making test with each subsequent test block. Implications include consideration of low cognitive load and arousal as factors responsible for performance decline and targets for the development of interventions/strategies in low load/arousal conditions such as autonomous vehicle operations and highway driving.</p></div

Means and 95% Confidence intervals for MDMT diagnostic confidence, and MDMT decision competence, optimality and hesitance by the between subject conditions (low-load order and motion) across the three test blocks.

<p>Means and 95% Confidence intervals for MDMT diagnostic confidence, and MDMT decision competence, optimality and hesitance by the between subject conditions (low-load order and motion) across the three test blocks.</p

Effect sizes, calculated as Cohen’s d, of the difference between Blocks 1 and 3.

<p>Positive effect size represents an increase from Block 1 to 3. Accuracy = MDMT diagnostic accuracy; Confidence = MDMT diagnostic confidence; Competence to Decisiveness = MDMT decision patterns described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0115689#s1" target="_blank">introduction</a> and method; Mental demand to Frustration = NASA-TLX ratings described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0115689#s2" target="_blank">method</a>; Mean RT = mean reaction time on Stroop test items (incongruent, neutral or congruent items); Errors = error frequency on Stroop test items (incongruent, neutral or congruent items). **p<.01; *p<.05.</p

Effect sizes, calculated as Cohen’s d, of the pre to post change difference between low-load-start and moderate-load-start groups.

<p>Positive effect size represents a higher score for participants in the moderate-load-start group than the low-load-start group. Accuracy = MDMT diagnostic accuracy; Confidence = MDMT diagnostic confidence; Competence to Decisiveness = MDMT decision patterns described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0115689#s1" target="_blank">introduction</a> and method; Mental demand to Frustration = NASA-TLX ratings described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0115689#s2" target="_blank">method</a>; Mean RT = mean reaction time on Stroop test items (incongruent, neutral or congruent items); Errors = error frequency on Stroop test items (incongruent, neutral or congruent items). **p<.01; *p<.05.</p

The LAnd Motion Platform (LAMP) simulation facility.

<p>The LAnd Motion Platform (LAMP) simulation facility.</p

Outline of experimental design for attentional load conditions.

<p>The low-load-start group followed the upper sequence; the moderate-load-start group followed the lower sequence.</p

DeceiverNotReceiver_GermanSample.zip

This is the data and codebook for the German sample used for the manuscript:<div><br></div><div>"It's the Deceiver, not the Receiver: No Individual Differences when Detection Deception in a Foreign and a Native Language"</div