Relationship between Sternberg dual task performance, emotional stability and heart rate variability

    LIU Xuª²Feng, MIAO Danª²Min, XIAO Wei, HUANG Weiª²Fen, LIU Fang, JING Xiaoª²Lu, LIU Ping, ZHANG Jinª²Rong, WANG Wei

    1Department of Psychology, School of Aviation & Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¬ðan 710033, China, 2Institute of Aerospace Medicine Engineering, Ministry of General Equipment, Beijing 100094, China, 3Center of Physical Examination, Civil Aviation College of China, Guanghan 618307, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To explore the situationª²induced module of emotion by analyzing the relationship between the performance of Sternberg dual task, emotional stability and heart rate variability. METHODS: Eightyª²nine flying cadets were tested by Sternberg dual task of three different difficult levels, their ECG was recorded and the variables of time and frequency domain of heart rate variability were analyzed. In Sternberg dual task, the primary task was tracing and the secondary task was selective reaction time, the latter of which was composed of three difficult levels by different dimensions of the selective reaction. After flying exercises, the emotional stability of all subjects were assessed by senior pilots using CASESFC (Criterion Assessment Scale of Emotional Stability of Flying Cadets). The basic flying abilities of the subjects were represented by the scores of their recruit tests. The relationship between the performance of Sternberg dual task, flying ability, emotional stability and heart rate variability was studied. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in the flying ability between the individuals with good and poor Sternberg dual task performance. Though at all levels of Sternberg dual task the individuals with good performance in Sternberg dual task had more emotional stability than the individuals with poor performance, at level three, the difference of emotional stability was significant (P<0.05). The individuals with good performance the former had lower LF, HF, SDNN, RMSSD, LF/HF and heart rate than the latter. CONCLUSION: Behavioral performance has a certain innate connection with the emotional stability. Emotion can be induced in the situation of behavioral task by changing the difficult level. ......