Cognitive Training for Military Application: a Review of the Literature and Practical Guide

Blacker, Kara J.; Hamilton, Joseph A.; Roush, Grant; Pettijohn, Kyle A.; Biggs, Adam T.

doi:10.1007/s41465-018-0076-1

Cited by 53 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 151 publications

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“…More specifically, the occupational performance literature has accumulated promising evidence of the cognitive attributes that are considered both trainable and capable of producing reliable performance gains for the end-user-be it an athlete (Morris and Summers, 2004;Fadde and Zaichkowsky, 2018), police officer (Page et al, 2016), first-responder (Joyce et al, 2019), or a warfighter (Adler et al, 2015;Cooper and Fry, 2018;Blacker et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive Fitness Framework: Towards Assessing, Training and Augmenting Individual-Difference Factors Underpinning High-Performance Cognition

Aidman

2020

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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The aim of this article is to introduce the concept of Cognitive Fitness (CF), identify its key ingredients underpinning both real-time task performance and career longevity in high-risk occupations, and to canvas a holistic framework for their assessment, training, and augmentation. CF as a capacity to deploy neurocognitive resources, knowledge and skills to meet the demands of operational task performance, is likely to be multifaceted and differentially malleable. A taxonomy of CF constructs derived from Cognitive Readiness (CR) and Mental fitness (MF) literature maps into phases of operational cycle from foundational to advanced, mission-ready and recovery. Foundational cognitive attributes, such as attention, executive control and co-action, were hypothesized to be trainable at the initial Cognitive Gym phase. More advanced training targets at the CR phase included stress and arousal regulation, adaptability, teamwork, situation awareness (including detection, sense-making and prediction) and decision making (de-biasing and confidence calibration). The mission-ready training phase is focused on tolerances (to sleep loss, monotony, pain, frustration, uncertainty) and resistance (to distraction, deception or manipulation). Operational Augmentation phase relies on support tools such as decision aids and fatigue countermeasures, while the Recovery phase employs reflexive (e.g., mindfulness), and restorative practices (e.g., nutrition and sleep hygiene). The periodization of cognitive training in this cycle is hypothesized to optimize both real-time cognitive performance and the resilience that enables lifelong thriving. One of the most promising avenues of validating this hypothesis is by developing an expert consensus on the key CF ingredients and their relative importance in high-performance settings.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive Fitness Framework: Towards Assessing, Training and Augmenting Individual-Difference Factors Underpinning High-Performance Cognition

Aidman

2020

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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“…Specifically, in this project, the BL Engine offers strategies suitable for enhancing shooting performance by controlling the elements in the virtual environment that affect the simulation difficulty and the officer's concentration and relaxation levels (concentrated and so-called "calm, cool, and collected" state). To improve their scores in the shooting scenarios, police officers would have to use self-regulation strategies (e.g., respiration and attentional control) that will keep them calm and focused, hence reducing the probability of making mistakes in real-life situations (Blacker et al, 2018). Additionally, the physiological challenges can be modified (in realtime, if needed) by trainers allowing a very dynamic and personalized training.…”

Section: Future Work With Virtual Reality and Biocybernetic Adaptationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Psychophysiological Model of Firearms Training in Police Officers: A Virtual Reality Experiment for Biocybernetic Adaptation

et al. 2020

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Crucial elements for police firearms training include mastering very specific psychophysiological responses associated with controlled breathing while shooting. Under high-stress situations, the shooter is affected by responses of the sympathetic nervous system that can impact respiration. This research focuses on how frontal oscillatory brainwaves and cardiovascular responses of trained police officers (N = 10) are affected during a virtual reality (VR) firearms training routine. We present data from an experimental study wherein shooters were interacting in a VR-based training simulator designed to elicit psychophysiological changes under easy, moderate and frustrating difficulties. Outcome measures in this experiment include electroencephalographic and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters, as well as performance metrics from the VR simulator. Results revealed that specific frontal areas of the brain elicited different responses during resting states when compared with active shooting in the VR simulator. Moreover, sympathetic signatures were found in the HRV parameters (both time and frequency) reflecting similar differences. Based on the experimental findings, we propose a psychophysiological model to aid the design of a biocybernetic adaptation layer that creates real-time modulations in simulation difficulty based on targeted physiological responses.

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“…Furthermore, unlike in civilian driving, military drivers are asked and trained to multitask [18], for example, maneuvering on complex terrain environments as well as driving while monitoring communications and discriminating between enemy and friendly targets [10,21]. Thus, army combat drivers become better able to deal with overload situations [22,23]. Still, driving mishaps continue to occur among the military [24,25], with warfighters' workload being one of the main causes [26,27] and with the LMV being one of the most accident-prone vehicles [28].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

EEG Theta Power Activity Reflects Workload among Army Combat Drivers: An Experimental Study

2020

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We aimed to evaluate the effects of mental workload variations, as a function of the road environment, on the brain activity of army drivers performing combat and non-combat scenarios in a light multirole vehicle dynamic simulator. Forty-one non-commissioned officers completed three standardized driving exercises with different terrain complexities (low, medium, and high) while we recorded their electroencephalographic (EEG) activity. We focused on variations in the theta EEG power spectrum, a well-known index of mental workload. We also assessed performance and subjective ratings of task load. The theta EEG power spectrum in the frontal, temporal, and occipital areas were higher during the most complex scenarios. Performance (number of engine stops) and subjective data supported these findings. Our findings strengthen previous results found in civilians on the relationship between driver mental workload and the theta EEG power spectrum. This suggests that EEG activity can give relevant insight into mental workload variations in an objective, unbiased fashion, even during real training and/or operations. The continuous monitoring of the warfighter not only allows instantaneous detection of over/underload but also might provide online feedback to the system (either automated equipment or the crew) to take countermeasures and prevent fatal errors.

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Cognitive Training for Military Application: a Review of the Literature and Practical Guide

Cited by 53 publications

References 151 publications

Cognitive Fitness Framework: Towards Assessing, Training and Augmenting Individual-Difference Factors Underpinning High-Performance Cognition

Cognitive Fitness Framework: Towards Assessing, Training and Augmenting Individual-Difference Factors Underpinning High-Performance Cognition

A Psychophysiological Model of Firearms Training in Police Officers: A Virtual Reality Experiment for Biocybernetic Adaptation

EEG Theta Power Activity Reflects Workload among Army Combat Drivers: An Experimental Study

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