Beyond detection rate: understanding the vigilance decrement using signal detection theory

Skinner, Henri Etel; Giesbrecht, Barry · 2025 · Crossref

DOI: 10.3389/fcogn.2024.1505046

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Summary

This perspective paper addresses methodological and theoretical limitations in the study of the vigilance decrement, defined as the decline in performance during sustained attention tasks. The authors argue that current research relies heavily on detection rate, a binary measure that conflates changes in perceptual sensitivity with shifts in decision criteria. This reliance obscures the multidimensional nature of vigilance, reducing complex cognitive processes to generic constructs like "attention" or "inattention." Because classic vigilance tasks typically yield low false alarm rates, they cannot reliably distinguish between a decline in sensitivity and a conservative shift in response bias, thereby hindering theoretical progress. To resolve these constraints, the authors propose applying Signal Detection Theory (SDT) to vigilance research using the Continuous Temporal Expectancy Task (CTET). SDT allows for the independent measurement of sensitivity ($d'$) and decision criterion ($c$). The CTET involves monitoring a continuous stream of images where rare targets are defined by slightly longer display durations (e.g., 1,120 ms vs. 800 ms). This paradigm is advantageous because it induces a robust vigilance decrement rapidly (within ~3 minutes) and minimizes confounds such as response inhibition demands and speed-accuracy trade-offs. The authors suggest that modifying task parameters, such as target prevalence or reward structures, can increase false alarm rates, enabling the reliable computation of SDT metrics. The paper finds that while the CTET is uniquely suited to isolate vigilance mechanisms from other cognitive functions like inhibitory control, it has limitations regarding high-temporal resolution measurements due to low response rates. The authors contrast this with other sustained attention tasks, such as the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART), which offer finer temporal resolution but are confounded by response inhibition requirements. Consequently, the CTET provides a cleaner assessment of vigilance-specific processes, whereas SART-like tasks better capture continuous fluctuations in engagement but mix vigilance with inhibitory control. The significance of this work lies in its call for a paradigm shift from unidimensional detection rates to multidimensional SDT metrics. By adopting the CTET with criterion manipulations, researchers can generate more nuanced theories of vigilance that account for distinct contributions of sensitivity and bias. This approach promises improved characterization of individual differences and clinical populations, offering a more precise understanding of the cognitive mechanisms underlying sustained attention failures.

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Topics

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• sustained attention vigilance
• signal detection theory
• vigilance