Workload History and Anticipation: Effects on Task Performance and Subjective Stress

Abstract

Though previous research has demonstrated that a sudden change in workload can have negative performance outcomes, there has been little examination of factors that could minimize these effects. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of a sudden workload shift on performance and subjective stress, as well to examine whether anticipation of a future workload shift would decrease the performance decrement generally associated with workload history and temper subjective increases in stress. Participants (N=114) were randomly assigned to a specific anticipatory instruction condition, a general anticipatory instruction condition, or a non-instruction control condition and were then asked to perform a memory search task in which workload level was manipulated (i.e., the participants experienced either a sudden increase or a sudden decrease in workload level). Results revealed significant changes in both performance and subjective stress states following workload shifts in either direction. Although there were no significant differences in performance between instruction conditions, there was significant difference in intrinsic motivation loss in the low-to-high shift condition. Specifically, participants receiving specific anticipatory instructions showed less of a decrease in motivation following a workload shift than those receiving general anticipatory instructions. Implications and future research plans are discussed.