Sustained performance under overload: personality and individual differences in stress and coping

Abstract

Individuals differ considerably in their vulnerability to task-induced stress, in part because of individual differences in cognitions of task demands. This study investigated the personality and cognitive factors that may control stress vulnerability, using a 'rapid information processing' task that was configured to overload attention. Stress response was assessed using the Dundee Stress State Questionnaire . Fundamental dimensions of subjective state in performance settings: task engagement, distress and worry. Emotion, 2, 315-340), as well as instruments assessing workload, appraisal and coping. Time pressure was manipulated as a between-subjects stress factor. Higher time pressure tended to elicit decreased effort and task engagement and avoidance coping. However, much of the variance in state response was attributable to individual differences in appraisal and coping. The personality trait of neuroticism related to some of these cognitive processes. Subjective state, appraisal and coping were also predictive of objective performance indices. Consistent with the transactional theory of stress, subjective states appear to correspond to configurations of cognitive processes that signal the participant's mode of adaptation to task demands. The findings underscore the importance of accommodating individual differences in selecting operators for handling overload, for designing interfaces and for training operators to manage overload successfully.

A preliminary study exploring moderating effects of role stressors on the relationship between Big Five personality traits and workplace cyberloafing

“…For instance, a common method used to increase task/work overload is to subject participants to a "rapid information processing task". In such a task, participants are required to process about 100-150 stimuli within a minute (Matthews & Campbell, 2009). Furthermore, we have made suggestions based on past theory and findings that role stressors promote emotional coping; however, we did not directly measure the style of coping among participants.…”

Individual differences in the experience of cognitive workload

“…Several authors have made a cogent case for studying individual differences in personality, motivation, cognitive abilities, and coping strategies in the study of ergonomics problems (Baldwin 2009;Cox-Fuenzalida, Swickert, and Hittner 2004;Cox-Fuenzalida et al 2006;Drury et al 2009;Eysenck 2010;Hancock, Hancock, and Warm 2009;Karwowski 2000;Matthews and Campbell 2009;Szalma 2008;Szalma and Taylor 2011;Szymura 2010;Verhagen 1993). In principle, such knowledge could be used to modify system designs so that individual differences no longer present meaningful variation in performance, to customise designs, and to take advantage of human capabilities and limitations.…”

Nauczyciela akademickiego spojrzenie na rozwój w dobie przemian ogólnoświatowych

“…Ten ostatni -obecny w osobistym doświadczeniu wieluuczyniłam przedmiotem badań, traktując jako jedną z odmian stresu cywilizacyjnego (Ledzińska, 2001;Łosiak, 2008;Heszen, 2013). To określenie ekwiwalentne w stosunku do kategorii proponowanych w literaturze, zwłasz-cza przeciążenia umysłu -overload (Bawden, Robinson, 2009;Matthews, Campbell, 2009), odnoszącego się jedynie do sfery poznawczej lub nieco metaforycznych, takich jak library anxiety (Mellon, 1986) lub information anxiety (Wurman, 1987). Wymiana informacyjna (metabolizm) zawsze jest sprzężona z emocjami.…”