PSYCHOLOGY MASTER'S THESIS ABSTRACT

Steve Okamoto

Industrial/Organizational
June 1995

Dual-Task Performance: Central Visual Tracking and Peripheral Visual Detection with or without Auditory Spatial Cueing

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether an auditory stimulus presented at the same location as a visual stimulus would affect a subject’s ability to detect a secondary visual stimulus.  While performing a primary visual tracking task, secondary visual stimuli, at varying degrees azimuth, were presented in one of two conditions: either with a noncorrelated or a correlated auditory stimulus.  Six subjects performed the tasks, which were implemented using a computer-based system of data presentation and collection.
    Results showed that root mean square (RMS) error values on the primary tracking task were not affected by condition.  However, position significantly affected RMS error values F(5, 25) = 21.03, p < .01.  Their interactions were also significant, F(5, 25) = 3.81, p < .05.  Reaction times (RTs) to detect the secondary visual targets between conditions were significant, F(1, 5) =  10.15, p < .05.  Likewise, RTs based on position were significant, F(5, 25) = 61.58, p < .01.  Their interactions were significant, F(5, 25) – 3.81, p < .05.

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