The current study applies a dual-task working memory and vigilance task to examine sustained attention performance and perceived workload in a multi-instrument battery. In Experiment 1 we modified a task developed by Helton and Russell (2011) to examine declines in performance and to assess the effects of its position within a larger battery. Experiment 1 failed to reveal a sensitivity decrement, and test position revealed only spurious influence. Workload scores derived from the NASA-TLX fell at the high end of the scale, with mental and temporal demand receiving the highest ratings. In Experiment 2, we modified the dual task to place more emphasis on attention rather than working memory. Results revealed a significant decline in performance across the vigil for the perceptual sensitivity index A'. Test position (early vs. late) effects appeared with the reaction time variability measure, with performance becoming more variable when the task appeared in the latter half of the battery. Workload scores varied according to position in the battery: Workload scores were higher when the vigilance task appeared in the latter half of the battery. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.

中文翻译：

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内存负载和测试位置对短期持续注意力任务的影响。

当前的研究应用了双任务工作记忆和警惕任务，以检查多仪表电池中持续的注意力表现和感知的工作量。在实验1中，我们修改了由Helton和Russell（2011）开发的任务，以检查性能下降并评估其在较大电池中的位置的影响。实验1未能显示出灵敏度的下降，而测试位置仅显示出了寄生影响。来自NASA-TLX的工作量得分最高，心理和时间需求得分最高。在实验2中，我们修改了双重任务，以更加注重注意力而不是工作记忆。结果表明，在整个敏感度上，感知敏感性指数A'的表现均显着下降。测试位置（早期vs. 反应时间可变性度量会出现效果），而当任务出现在电池的后半部分时，性能会变得更加可变。工作负荷分数根据电池中的位置而变化：当警惕任务出现在电池的后半部分时，工作负荷分数会更高。讨论了实践意义和理论意义。