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Cognitive Streaming |
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The project was performed by a consortium led by QinetiQ, with the following collaborators:
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- School of Psychology, Cardiff University
- NLR Amsterdam
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The objective is to demonstrate how a new theoretical approach to understanding human information processing 'cognitive streaming' can be applied to problems facing aircrew and air traffic controllers as traffic density increases. Cognitive streaming is a theoretical framework for human information processing when auditory and visual information is combined. It was initially developed to understand the effects of irrelevant background sound on cognitive processing. Adverse effects are often observed, particularly in tasks that involve the retention of order in short-term memory, even though the individuals are instructed to ignore the sound. The streaming notions that explain these effects differ from theories based on specialised mental resources: they predict that interference between tasks occurs when they draw upon the same mental process (such as 'seriation', or keeping track of order) rather than when their content is similar (e.g., both are spatial tasks).
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A pilot study on the relevance of a new psychological approach (the cognitive streaming model) to ATM. |
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The work undertaken in the pilot study established that (a) even when unattended, sound is registered by the brain, and (b) this has a damaging effect on performance if the person is undertaking a demanding task involving short-term memory. Since many aviation tasks are performed in the presence of sound, and such tasks often depend upon the temporary storage of information, these findings have implications for aviation safety and effectiveness.
As described in the project plan, the project is divided into our technical work packages (WPs) defined as follows:
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Last validation: 15/03/2007
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