Effects of Acute Stress on Cognitive Performance. A Pilot Study

摘要

A laboratory study was conducted to establish a research framework for investigating the effects of stress and fatigue on cognitive performance. The initial objectives were to (a) confirm the effectiveness of candidate stressor tasks, (b) to evaluate alternative stress response measures, and (c) to benchmark a series of cognitive performance tests. Both stressor tasks proved effective in eliciting stress under laboratory conditions, as indicated by multiple stress measures. All measures, however, were not effective, and no cognitive performance effects were found. Results are explained in terms of experiment design factors (i.e., the between-subjects approach used for the study) and the intensity and duration of stress levels achievable under laboratory conditions. Methodological revisions and an interim experiment are discussed in the context of larger research objectives that address both stress and fatigue together.