Distractor: The Impact on Cognitive Performance
Recent studies have suggested that distractors can have a significant impact on cognitive performance. Distractors are defined as any stimuli or task that takes the focus away from the primary task at hand (Pashler, 1994). Examples of distractors include noise, movement, or other sensory inputs that can interfere with the task that is being performed. Distractors can impact cognitive performance by causing a decrease in attention, a decrease in accuracy, and an increase in errors (Lee et al., 2003).
In order to better understand the impact of distractors on cognitive performance, researchers have conducted experiments using various types of distractors. For example, one study found that visual distractors had a greater impact on cognitive performance than auditory distractors (Lee et al., 2003). This finding was further replicated in another study, which concluded that visual distractors had a greater negative impact on cognitive performance than auditory distractors (Eriksen & Strayer, 2004).
In addition, research has shown that the type and intensity of distractors can also have an effect on cognitive performance. A study conducted by Pashler (1994) found that more intense distractors, such as loud noises, had a greater negative impact on cognitive performance than less intense distractors, such as a whispered voice. This finding was further supported in a study conducted by Lee et al. (2003), which found that increasing the intensity of the distractors had a significant impact on cognitive performance.
Overall, the research suggests that distractors can have a significant impact on cognitive performance. It is important to note, however, that the impact of distractors can vary depending on the type and intensity of the distractors. Therefore, it is important to consider the type and intensity of the distractors when studying the impact of distractors on cognitive performance.
References
Eriksen, C. W., & Strayer, D. L. (2004). The influence of auditory and visual distracters on cognitive processing. Memory & Cognition, 32(3), 436–445. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03195710
Lee, J., Proctor, R. W., & Kim, K. (2003). The effect of visual and auditory distractors on cognitive performance. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 9(2), 97–106. https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-898X.9.2.97
Pashler, H. (1994). Dual-task interference in simple tasks: Data and theory. Psychological Bulletin, 116(2), 220–244. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.116.2.220