Volitional Running and Tone Counting: The Impact of Cognitive Load on Running Over Natural Terrain

Free recall and outdoor running: cognitive and physical demand interference

“…We also had participants perform the free recall task in a seated, single-task scenario. We expected a reduced distance run in the dualtask compared to single-task condition, based on similar running and climbing dual-task research (Blakely et al 2016;Green et al 2014). We also expected reduced word recall in the dual-task condition based on the severe reduction found in the climbing studies.…”

“…Performing two tasks at once allows for an assessment of which components of certain tasks cause interference, especially when the same task is paired with various secondary tasks, allowing for comparison across domains. Most research using the dual-task paradigm finds performance detriment in the dual-compared to single-task conditions, regardless of the type of tasks used (Bourke 1996;Green and Helton 2011;Head et al 2012;Darling and Helton 2014;Blakely et al 2016;Epling et al 2016), but it has been proposed that the more similar the demands of given tasks, the greater the detriment. Wickens' multiple resource theory (MRT;2008) proposes that the extent of interference depends on the overlap of the tasks on four possible parameters: stage of processing (perception, cognition, or response), sensory modality (visual, auditory, or other), code of processing (spatial or symbolic), and for visual tasks, focal versus ambient vision.…”

“…In addition to performance on both tasks, we had participants report subjective workload and stress, using a subjective stress state questionnaire adapted from the Dundee Stress State Questionnaire (DSSQ; Matthews et al 2002;Blakely et al 2016). Based on the research of Blakely et al (2016), we were particularly interested in the spent component, representing the degree of burnout or exhaustion, and the task focus component, representing the participant's perception of their focus on each task. We expect the spent component, task focus component, and overall workload of the dualtask condition to be greater than both single-task conditions.…”

Integrating Physical and Cognitive Ergonomics

“…Findings reported by Pankok et al (2016) and Blakely et al (2016) have important implications for warning signal designs in high stress scenarios. This is particularly true in scenarios that are associated with running/exercise and are extremely physically challenging, such as those experienced by law enforcement and military officers.…”

“…Indeed, it is possible that cognitive processes during running differ when one runs on a treadmill (and indoors) versus on a natural outdoor terrain. This, in fact, was examined in the next article in this issue by Blakely, Kemp, and Helton (2016). The authors sought to understand whether differences in natural terrain characteristics impacted cognitive and/ or running performance.…”