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Time on task and task load in visual inspection: A four-month field study with X-ray baggage screeners
D Buser1, A Schwaninger1, J Sauer2
1University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, School of Applied Psychology, Institute Humans in Complex Systems, Riggenbachstrasse 16, CH-4600, Olten, Switzerland.
Abstract:
Previous studies suggest that performance in visual inspection and typical vigilance tasks depend on time on task and task load. European regulation mandates that security officers (screeners) take a break or change tasks after 20 min of X-ray baggage screening. However, longer screening durations could reduce staffing challenges. We investigated the effects of time on task and task load on visual inspection performance in a four-month field study with screeners. At an international airport, 22 screeners inspected X-ray images of cabin baggage for up to 60 min, while a control group (N = 19) screened for 20 min. Hit rate remained stable for low and average task loads. However, when the task load was high, the screeners compensated by speeding up X-ray image inspection at the expense of the hit rate over time on task. Our results support the dynamic-allocation resource theory. Moreover, extending the permitted screening duration to 30 or 40 min should be considered.
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