Pupil dilation and task adaptation

Abstract

Individuals adapt to tasks as they repeatedly practice them resulting in increased overall performance. Historically, time and accuracy are two metrics used to measure these adaptations. Here we show preliminary evidence that changes in pupil dilation may be able to capture within-task learning changes. A group of enlisted Sailors and Marines completed forty-eight trials of a cognitive task while their pupils were recorded with a low-cost eye tracking system. As expected, accuracy increased across trials while reaction times significantly decreased. We found a strong, negative correlation of pupil size across the trials. These data suggest that changes in pupil dilation can be used to measure within-task adaptations.