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Memory and metacognition in dangerous situations: investigating cognitive impairment from gas narcosis in undersea divers

Memory and metacognition in dangerous situations: investigating cognitive impairment from gas narcosis in undersea divers
Memory and metacognition in dangerous situations: investigating cognitive impairment from gas narcosis in undersea divers
Objective: The current study tested whether undersea divers are able to accurately judge their level of memory impairment from inert gas narcosis.
Background: Inert gas narcosis causes a number of cognitive impairments, including a decrement in memory ability. Undersea divers may be unable to accurately judge their level of impairment, affecting safety and work performance.
Method: In two underwater field experiments, performance decrements on tests of memory at 33 to 42 m were compared with self-ratings of impairment and resolution. The effect of depth (shallow [1-11 m] vs. deep [33-42 m]) was measured on free-recall (Experiment 1; n = 41) and cued-recall (Experiment 2; n = 39) performance, a visual-analogue self-assessment rating of narcotic impairment, and the accuracy of judgements-of-learning (JOLs).
Results: Both free- and cued-recall were significantly reduced in deep, compared to shallow, conditions. This decrement was accompanied by an increase in self-assessed impairment. In contrast, resolution (based on JOLs) remained unaffected by depth. The dissociation of memory accuracy and resolution, coupled with a shift in a self-assessment of impairment, indicated that divers were able to accurately judge their decrease in memory performance at depth.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that impaired self-assessment and resolution may not actually be a symptom of narcosis in the depth range of 33 to 42 m underwater and that the divers in this study were better equipped to manage narcosis than prior literature suggested. The results are discussed in relation to implications for diver safety and work performance.
696-709
Hobbs, M.
b2f8d3f5-29f1-4293-bf19-bc2c2ef0dc30
Higham, P.A.
4093b28f-7d58-4d18-89d4-021792e418e7
Kneller, W.
aec8fcdd-bb9b-4b88-9c60-e914115469d2
Hobbs, M.
b2f8d3f5-29f1-4293-bf19-bc2c2ef0dc30
Higham, P.A.
4093b28f-7d58-4d18-89d4-021792e418e7
Kneller, W.
aec8fcdd-bb9b-4b88-9c60-e914115469d2

Hobbs, M., Higham, P.A. and Kneller, W. (2014) Memory and metacognition in dangerous situations: investigating cognitive impairment from gas narcosis in undersea divers. Human Factors, 56, 696-709. (doi:10.1177/0018720813510737).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Objective: The current study tested whether undersea divers are able to accurately judge their level of memory impairment from inert gas narcosis.
Background: Inert gas narcosis causes a number of cognitive impairments, including a decrement in memory ability. Undersea divers may be unable to accurately judge their level of impairment, affecting safety and work performance.
Method: In two underwater field experiments, performance decrements on tests of memory at 33 to 42 m were compared with self-ratings of impairment and resolution. The effect of depth (shallow [1-11 m] vs. deep [33-42 m]) was measured on free-recall (Experiment 1; n = 41) and cued-recall (Experiment 2; n = 39) performance, a visual-analogue self-assessment rating of narcotic impairment, and the accuracy of judgements-of-learning (JOLs).
Results: Both free- and cued-recall were significantly reduced in deep, compared to shallow, conditions. This decrement was accompanied by an increase in self-assessed impairment. In contrast, resolution (based on JOLs) remained unaffected by depth. The dissociation of memory accuracy and resolution, coupled with a shift in a self-assessment of impairment, indicated that divers were able to accurately judge their decrease in memory performance at depth.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that impaired self-assessment and resolution may not actually be a symptom of narcosis in the depth range of 33 to 42 m underwater and that the divers in this study were better equipped to manage narcosis than prior literature suggested. The results are discussed in relation to implications for diver safety and work performance.

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Published date: 2014
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Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 358557
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/358557
PURE UUID: a44bf64a-abe7-4d56-aa59-4abadddffce8
ORCID for P.A. Higham: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6087-7224

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Date deposited: 18 Oct 2013 14:05
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:08

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Contributors

Author: M. Hobbs
Author: P.A. Higham ORCID iD
Author: W. Kneller

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