Memory impairment during a climbing traverse: implications for search and rescue climbing

Epling, Samantha, Blakely, Megan, Edgar, Graham K ORCID: 0000-0003-4302-7169, Russell, Paul and Helton, William (2018) Memory impairment during a climbing traverse: implications for search and rescue climbing. Experimental Brain Research, 236 (11). pp. 3043-3052. doi:10.1007/s00221-018-5362-8

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Abstract

Cognitive resource limitations can impair one’s ability to multitask. Previous research has shown that climbing is a particu-larly demanding task, and does not neatly fit into existing cognitive resource models. Climbing is a task relevant to firefight-ing and search and rescue, and operators often must also handle communication and navigation tasks in tandem. We present the results of a study where a naturalistic narrative memory task was paired with a climbing traverse. As hypothesized, both climbing and memory performance significantly declined in the dual-compared to each single-task condition. The specific cognitive demands of climbing should be explored further using non-verbal secondary tasks, to determine whether an execu-tive resource bottleneck, verbal resource demand, or something else entirely can better explain the dual-task interference. A more thorough understanding of the mental demand in concurrent operational tasks can be used to tailor the modality and timing or diversion of certain tasks for minimal interference.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Dual-task; Resource theory; Working memory; Climbing; Signal-Detection-Theory; Dual-Task Costs; Situation awareness; Free-Recall; Interference; Performance; Exercise; Evolution; Fitness; Gesture; REF2021
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GV Recreation Leisure > GV191.2 Outdoor Life. Outdoor recreation. > GV199.44 Rock climbing. H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Education and Science
Research Priority Areas:	Health, Life Sciences, Sport and Wellbeing
Depositing User:	Graham Edgar
Date Deposited:	29 Aug 2018 16:42
Last Modified:	31 Aug 2023 09:04
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/5900

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