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System response time and method of pay: cardiovascular stress effects in computer-based tasks
1Division of Biomedical and Behavioral Science, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH 45226.
Ergonomics
|December 1, 1990
Summary
Incentive pay in data entry work may cause stress, increasing blood pressure and decreasing heart rate variability. Computer system response time did not significantly affect these physiological responses.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Psychophysiology
Background:
- Computer systems are integral to modern workplaces, impacting employee well-being.
- Understanding the psychophysiological effects of system design and compensation is crucial for optimizing work environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the psychophysiological effects of computer system response time and payment methods on data entry tasks.
- To assess cardiovascular responses in professional typists under different work conditions.
Main Methods:
- Forty-five professional typists participated in a four-day study.
- Cardiovascular responses (heart rate, blood pressure) were monitored.
- System response times (slow vs. rapid) and payment methods (incentive vs. nonincentive) were manipulated.
Main Results:
- Incentive pay significantly increased blood pressure and decreased heart rate variability compared to nonincentive pay.
- Computer system response time did not significantly affect heart rate or blood pressure.
- Sustained data entry led to reduced heart rate and increased heart rate variability, suggesting reduced effort or mental fatigue.
Conclusions:
- Incentive pay programs in data entry may induce stress-related physiological reactivity in healthy workers.
- System response time appears to be a less significant factor in psychophysiological responses than payment methods.
- Long-term data entry can lead to physiological changes indicative of fatigue or reduced exertion.