Investigation of preparation on performance in a sustained attention task.

Sustained attention research has relied on detection rate but this could change due to poor attention (sensitivity d’) or overly conservative responding (criterion). We examined whether preparation, here defined as redoing the practice was associated with differences in these measures. Participants performed a rare target detection task and reported across 3 confidence conditions (conservative, neutral, liberal). We hypothesized engaging in preparation would show improved d'. Analyses revealed for d’ no main effect of confidence (b=0.031, SE=0.060, p=.60), no main effect of preparation (b =0.27, SE=0.27, p=.32) and no interaction (b=0.043, SE=0.12, p=.73 interaction). For criterion there was a main effect of confidence (b=0.28, SE=0.090, p=.0024), no main effect of preparation (b=0.12, SE=0.40, p=.76), and no interaction (b=0.078, SE=0.19, p=.68). These findings suggest that confidence instructions influences how participants respond while preparation does not relate to performance.