Effects of a Brief Training Intervention on Situation Awareness in a Simulated Military Task

Abstract

Objective: Investigate the impact of a brief Situation Awareness (SA) training intervention on objective and self-reported SA measures in a simulated driving task. The study also sought to contribute to the current understanding of SA through comparing current measures and investigating the influence of personality factors. Background: SA is commonly discussed within military contexts for its impacts on performance. However, SA as a concept is not fully understood. The literature on SA continues to test the underlying theory , measurement, individual factors and its merit in training. Method: Twenty-three adults were randomly allocated to receive either an SA training intervention or control condition. Participants undertook two simulated driving missions presented on a flat screen using Virtual Battlespace 3 (VBS3) software and SA was assessed using self-reported (PSAQ) and objective (SAGAD measures. Following mission one, participants either completed SA training or control materials. Participants then completed mission two and group differences were assessed over time and between groups. Participants' scores on Big-5 personality factors were related to SA scores to investigate the impact of individual differences. Results: The SA training intervention did not improve performance across any measure. Conscientiousness was positively correlated and neuroticism was negatively correlated with SAGAT scores and nearing statistical significance. Objective and subjective measures of SA were unrelated to each other. Conclusion: The merit of SA training interventions is still unclear and there is uncertainty in the validity of SA measures. A greater foundation of SA theory is needed to develop clearer conclusions about the potential for training. Personality measures appear related to SA and contribute to understanding the impact of individual factors. Application: Contributing to the broader understanding for SA, the current study highlights the importance of developing a clearer understanding of SA theory before applying to industry settings.