Autonomic activity and workload during learning of a simulated aircraft carrier landing task

Heart rate, heart rate variability, and skin conductance responses were continuously recorded from six naive males during learning of a simulated aircraft carrier landing task. There were 30 learning trials spanning more than 1 h. Over trials, heart rate decreased while flight performance increased, indicating that heart rate is sensitive to practice effects. Independent of practice, heart rate and skin conductance amplitude always increased during the last minute of final approach to landing. The results supported the following conclusions: (a) heart rate and skin conductance amplitude are reliable indicators of short-term workload increases as typified by final approach; (b) heart rate is a reliable indicator of longer term workload decreases resulting from practice and increased mastery of the task. Results are discussed within the framework of autonomic activation theory.