ABSTRACT
We examined whether action videogames can improve multi-tasking in high workload environments. Two groups with no action videogame experience were pre-tested using the Multi-Attribute Task Battery (MATB). It has two primary tasks; tracking and fuel management, and two secondary tasks; systems monitoring and communication. In addition, participants were given subjective measures of workload and situation awareness (SA) – the NASA TLX and Situation Awareness Rating Technique (SART). One group served as a control, while a second played action videogames for 5 hours a week for 10 weeks. We found the videogame treatment enhanced performance on the secondary tasks without interfering with the primary tasks. However, measures of workload and SA did not reveal an effect of videogame treatment. Our results demonstrate action videogames can increase the ability to take on additional tasks. However, this may not be revealed by subjective judgments because these are most likely determined by primary task performance.
