Evidence for effects of task difficulty but not learning on neurophysiological variables associated with effort

Evidence for effects of task difficulty but not learning on neurophysiological variables associated with effort

Brouwer, A.M.
Hogervorst, M.A.
Holewijn, M.
van Erp, J.B.F.

2014

Learning to master a task is expected to be accompanied by a decrease in effort during task execution. We examine the possibility to monitor learning using physiological measures that have been reported to reflect effort or workload. Thirty-five participants performed different difficulty levels of the n-back task while a range of physiological and performance measurements were recorded. In order to dissociate non-specific time-related effects fromeffects of learning, we used the easiest level as a baseline condition. This condition is expected to only reflect non-specific effects of time. Performance and subjective measures confirmed more learning for the difficult level than for the easy level. The difficulty levels affected physiological variables in the way as expected, therewith showing their sensitivity. However, while most of the physiological variables were also affected by time, time-related effects were generally the same for the easy and the difficult level. Thus, in a well-controlled experiment that enabled the dissociation of general time effects from learning we did not find physiological variables to indicate decreasing effort associated with learning. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Human Performances
PCS - Perceptual and Cognitive Systems
ELSS - Earth, Life and Social Sciences
Training
EEG
Effort
Eye
Learning
Physiology
Workload
Electroencephalogram
Exercise
Eyelid reflex
Learning curve
Mental dissociation
Mental task
Meurophysiology
Physiological process
Psychophysiology
Response time
Skin conductance
Task performance

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:6c6b1e12-c9ec-4486-ac00-ae783ed19f3c

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.05.004

508645

International Journal of Psychophysiology, 93 (2), 242-252

article