Evaluating changes in proficiency using the task-irrelevant probe technique with event-related brain potentials

Proficiency refers to the level of skill needed to perform a specific task. While proficiency is typically evaluated in terms of a certain task-performance criterion, it does not always represent meeting or failing the criterion. Even when the same task-performance criterion is met, the psychological energy (i.e., attentional resources) required to meet the criterion can vary depending on the individual's proficiency. The present study investigated whether or not changes in proficiency while meeting a certain task-performance criterion can be evaluated by the task-irrelevant probe technique, which estimates the amount of attentional resources required to meet the criterion by measuring event-related brain potentials (ERPs) elicited by sensory stimuli (i.e., probes) unrelated to the task. Participants repeatedly performed a driving task using a simulator (i.e., once a week for four weeks). The task required them to drive to a destination while meeting a predefined criterion of steering control. Task-irrelevant auditory probes were presented during driving, and auditory-evoked potentials (AEPs) elicited by the auditory probes during driving that met the predefined criterion were analyzed. The results showed that the amplitude of AEPs (i.e., P2) increased over four weeks, indicating that the attentional resources required to meet the predefined criterion decreased through repetitions of the task. This result suggests that the task-irrelevant probe technique is useful for evaluating changes in proficiency from the perspective of changes in attentional resources required to meet a certain task-performance criterion.