Perceived motion sickness and targeting performance
Publish date: 2005-01-01
Report number: FOI-R--1735--SE
Pages: 28
Written in: English
Abstract
With the purpose of studying targeting performance under the influence of motion sickness, in relation to self reported perceived motion sickness, a quasi-experimental repeated before- and after study was performed. The targeting performances of 22 basic training conscript soldiers with limited experience of riding the PBV 401 combat vehicle were examined after repeatedly being transported in it. Their perceived motion sickness was rated according to subjective scales before and after two exposures to transportation. Performance was measured using automatic targeting detectors and by military instructors. The confirmed hypothesis was that perceived motion sickness would lead to impaired targeting performance. A varimax rotated factor analysis divided the subjective scales´ rated parameters into three representative factors, in which the second correlated significantly with targeting performance, indicating a relation between impaired targeting performance and perceived motion sickness symptoms. The two baseline measurements also correlated with the significant factor, indicating that performance between the repeated measurements was also affected negatively. The study supports the idea that motion sickness and its effect on performance should be studied by using actual performance measurements as a compliment to subjective ratings.