遭受自然災(zāi)害傷害的人精神上會緊張或是焦慮,，最近一項研究證實：自然災(zāi)害會使人們在日常生活中犯更多的錯誤,，一些錯誤甚至比較嚴重,。來自坎特伯雷大學(xué)的研究人員William S. Helton、James Head等人通過研究地震或是其它自然災(zāi)害發(fā)生過后對受害人員認知能力的影響后,，發(fā)現(xiàn)在受災(zāi)害影響后,，我們錯誤往往會犯的更多。相關(guān)論文發(fā)表在Human Factors雜志上,。
早期研究已經(jīng)揭示：人為災(zāi)難如“9.11”恐怖襲擊事件過后,，當(dāng)時經(jīng)歷過這場劫難的人發(fā)生交通事故以及發(fā)生交通事故導(dǎo)致的死亡概率都增高了，這主要源于認知障礙的增高,。但是,，有關(guān)自然災(zāi)害對我們認知能力的影響還沒有展開過相關(guān)研究。
研究人員募集了那些經(jīng)歷過2010年新西蘭基督城地震災(zāi)害的人,，工作者實施了一項人認知能力“差異”的測試,，共設(shè)兩個實驗階段。兩個實驗間期（兩個實驗階段之間的時間）,，恰巧發(fā)生了新西蘭基督城地震災(zāi)害,，這樣我們能比較災(zāi)害前后，人們認知能力上有何變化。
通過讓受試者們按視頻畫面上相應(yīng)的數(shù)字按鈕來檢測他們的認知能力,。在正常情況下,，參與第二實驗階段的人（也即經(jīng)歷過災(zāi)害后的人）認知能力有所下降。但是在發(fā)生地震過后,，這些人出現(xiàn)遺漏數(shù)字或是認錯數(shù)字的情況增加了,。
比較地震發(fā)生前后參試者對數(shù)字反應(yīng)的差別后發(fā)現(xiàn)：如果參試者在地震過后顯得焦慮不安的話，他們作出反應(yīng)的時間會縮短,，但所做出的反應(yīng)往往是錯誤的,。研究結(jié)果暗示：重大災(zāi)難后，我們的認知負荷會增加,，處理災(zāi)害期間的任務(wù)也許類似于處理雙重任務(wù),。（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.1177/0018720811430503
PMC:
PMID:
Earthquakes on the Mind: Implications of Disasters for Human Performance
William S. Helton
Objective: The present study explored the impact a natural disaster has on human performance.
Background: Previous research indicates that traffic accidents increase after disasters. A plausible explanation for this finding is that disasters induce cognitive disruption and this disruption negatively affects performance (e.g., driving quality).
Method: A total of 16 participants (7 men and9 women) performed a sustained-attention-to-response task before and after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake. Performance (errors of omission, errors of commission, and reaction time) was compared before and after the earthquake.
Results: Errors of omission increased after the earthquake. Changes in errors of commission and reaction times were, however, dependent on individual differences in stress response to the earthquake.
Conclusion: The results indicate that natural disasters may have a negative impact on performance.
Application: Communities need to be aware of the increased risk of accidents following disasters and develop countermeasures, including individualized assessment tools.
