Click on the following links. Please note these will open in a new window.
SAGE Journal User Guide
Cognitive Training Can Reduce Civilian Casualties in a Simulated Shooting Environment. Biggs, A.T., Cain, M.S., & Mitroff, S.R. (2015). Psychological Science, 26, 1164-1176.
Abstract:
Shooting a firearm involves a complex series of cognitive abilities. For example, locating an item or a person of interest requires visual search, and firing the weapon (or withholding a trigger squeeze) involves response execution (or inhibition). The present study used a simulated shooting environment to establish a relationship between a particular cognitive ability and a critical shooting error—response inhibition and firing on civilians, respectively. Individual-difference measures demonstrated, perhaps counterintuitively, that simulated civilian casualties were not related to motor impulsivity (i.e., an itchy trigger finger) but rather to an individual’s cognitive ability to withhold an already initiated response (i.e., an itchy brain). Furthermore, active-response-inhibition training reduced simulated civilian casualties, which revealed a causal relationship. This study therefore illustrates the potential of using cognitive training to possibly improve shooting performance, which might ultimately provide insight for military and law-enforcement personnel.
Discussion Questions:
- What aspects of this study allow us to define it as experiments?
- Is this study considered a Multi-factor experiment? Why or why not?
- Consider the design of the study. What is the independent variable? What are the levels of the IV? Does the design change throughout the study?
- Were the independent variables in the experiments manipulated between-subjects or within-subjects? How do you know?
- Did the researchers find an interaction between variables? If so, describe the interaction.
