How cognitive styles affect accuracy and speed of visual signal detection

The paper deals with the study of cognitive styles as interindividual determinants of accuracy and speed of solving near threshold and threshold visual signal detection tasks. A total of 74 subjects aged between 16 and 40 years old (25 male, 49 female) performed a set of cognitive styles tests as well as visual signal detection tasks. Vb tested following cognitive styles: augmenting-reducing, leveling-sharpening, narrow-broad equivalence range, flexibility-rigidity of cognitive control and focusing-scanning. Psychophysical procedure was represented by modified visual signal detection task ("yes no"), where a third stimulus "distractor" was added to the original procedure, aimed at provoking impulsive responses. The task included two difficulty levels (near-threshold and threshold), which were set by the duration of stimulus presentation. For each difficulty level we analyzed accuracy (non-parametric sensitivity index A') and speed (RT and RT stability) of solv- ing the task. Vit found effects of single cognitive styles as well as factor interactions effects. We found individual differences between groups "augmenting" and "reducing" in speed of task performance, in its accuracy between groups "flexibility of cognitive control" and "rigidity of cognitive control" as well as groups "focusing" and "scanning". Individual differences in both speed and accuracy were found between `leveling' and 'sharpening' groups. Moreover, these effects varied depending on task's difficulty level. The findings were discussed within the framework of system-activity approach in psychophysics from the perspective of development of hypothetical functional organ, or perceiving functional system (based on the ideas of A.A. Ukhtomsky, A.N. Leontiev) as a tool of solving sensory task. We conclude that both task difficulty level as stimulus factor and cognitive styles as individual factors affect accuracy and speed of visual signal detection.