Effects of sleep loss and stress upon radar watching

Abstract

Studied detection performance in a 40-min radar-watching task using 2 matched groups of 20 soldiers each. The experimental group was deprived of sleep for 78 hrs, and both groups were then subjected to stress induced by unpleasant electric shocks. It was hypothesized that the effects of sleep loss and stress oppose each other through de-arousing and overarousing, respectively. Results indicate significant impairment of performance when Ss were deprived of sleep but indicate an improvement under stress. Changes were accompanied by small but reliable (p < .01) heart rate reduction and elevation, respectively, thus lending support to the hypothesis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)