Download files
Abstract
Although monotony is widely recognised as being detrimental to performance, its occurrence and effects are not yet well understood. This is despite the fact that task-related characteristics, such as monotony and low task demand, have been shown to contribute to performance decrements over time. Three empirical studies were conducted in this research to further our understanding of the factors that contribute to the experience of monotony and the role task demand may play in mitigating monotony-related effects on performance. The first study was lab-based to determine the effect of task demand on the subjective experience and performance of a computer-based monotonous task. Forty participants performed a monotonous task characterised by either low cognitive demand or high cognitive demand, as well as a number of self-report scales. Results clearly demonstrated that despite a similar subjective experience across both tasks, there were clear benefits for performance of the high demand monotonous task.
Study two was designed to determine if monotony and fatigue are indeed issues for the potentially ‘at risk’ population of train drivers and if so, are there defining factors that contribute to these experiences. Survey results indicate that train drivers, particularly passenger drivers, experience monotony and fatigue on a regular basis while driving trains for work and the majority believe that these experiences adversely impact on their train management skills. Results also showed that train drivers are able to distinguish between the experiences of monotony and of fatigue and many utilise a somewhat limited range of strategies to cope with these experiences.
Study three combined what was learned from the first two studies to determine if increasing the cognitive demand of a monotonous train driving task could mitigate the monotony-related effects on performance. The results clearly show that even a relatively minor increase in cognitive demand can mitigate adverse monotony-related effects on performance for extended periods of time, in this case over two hours of driving in a highly monotonous simulated scenario.
Monotony is an inherent characteristic of transport industries, including rail, aviation and road transport, which can have adverse impact on safety, reliability and efficiency. These studies highlight possible strategies for mitigating these adverse effects.