Keywords

Eye tracking, search skills, scan patterns, training, perceptual skills, performance assessment

Abstract

In today's complex combat environments, troops are often faced with increasingly challenging tasks different from those experienced in the past. Warfighters must be trained in adaptive perceptual skill sets, such as search strategies that enable them to detect threats across any number of environmental, cultural, and situational conditions. The goal of the present study was to explore how advanced technology, specifically eye tracking, can be used to increase understanding of perceptual processes such as search and detection and provide tools that can be used to train search skills. Experiment 1 examined a method of diagnosing perceptual performance in order to be able to identify the perceptual root cause of target detection deficiencies and how these impact overall target detection performance. Findings indicate the method can be used to pinpoint where in the perceptual process a target miss originated, whether due to ineffective search strategy, inability to detect the subtle cues of the threat or inability to recognize these cues as indicative of a threat. Experiment 2 examined the training effectiveness of providing trainees with process level tailored feedback which incorporates elements of expert and trainee scan patterns. Findings indicate that providing trainees with elements of either expert or trainee scan patterns has the ability to significantly improve the search strategy being employed by the trainee. This work provides strong support for the use of eye tracking based perceptual performance diagnosis methods and training strategies in improving trainee search performance for complex target detection tasks.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2010

Advisor

Mouloua, Mustapha

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Psychology

Degree Program

Psychology

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0003100

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0003100

Language

English

Release Date

May 2010

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

Included in

Psychology Commons

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