Cognitive Load and Situation Awareness for Soldiers: Using an Auditory Detection Response Task

Abstract

We examined the cognitive load and situation awareness of tactical decision makers processing information with a battle management system. We presented information in visual and auditory form. To measure workload, we used an auditory detection response task (DRT). We found that DRT performance was worse with faster message presentation and with auditory presentation, indicating greater workload in those con-ditions. We also found that situation awareness was lower with faster presentation. However, we found that auditory presentation produced greater situation awareness than visual presentation. These results are par-tially consistent with results of a previous study (Hollands, Spivak, & Kramkowski, in press), but suggest that workload and situation awareness can sometimes diverge.