遭受自然災(zāi)害傷害的人精神上會(huì)緊張或是焦慮，最近一項(xiàng)研究證實(shí)：自然災(zāi)害會(huì)使人們?cè)谌粘Ｉ钪蟹父嗟腻e(cuò)誤,，一些錯(cuò)誤甚至比較嚴(yán)重,。來(lái)自坎特伯雷大學(xué)的研究人員William S. Helton,、James Head等人通過(guò)研究地震或是其它自然災(zāi)害發(fā)生過(guò)后對(duì)受害人員認(rèn)知能力的影響后，發(fā)現(xiàn)在受災(zāi)害影響后,，我們錯(cuò)誤往往會(huì)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(guò)后,，當(dāng)時(shí)經(jīng)歷過(guò)這場(chǎng)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(rèn)知障礙的增高。但是,，有關(guān)自然災(zāi)害對(duì)我們認(rèn)知能力的影響還沒(méi)有展開(kāi)過(guò)相關(guān)研究,。
研究人員募集了那些經(jīng)歷過(guò)2010年新西蘭基督城地震災(zāi)害的人，工作者實(shí)施了一項(xiàng)人認(rèn)知能力“差異”的測(cè)試,，共設(shè)兩個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)階段,。兩個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)間期（兩個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)階段之間的時(shí)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(rèn)知能力上有何變化。
通過(guò)讓受試者們按視頻畫(huà)面上相應(yīng)的數(shù)字按鈕來(lái)檢測(cè)他們的認(rèn)知能力,。在正常情況下,，參與第二實(shí)驗(yàn)階段的人（也即經(jīng)歷過(guò)災(zāi)害后的人）認(rèn)知能力有所下降。但是在發(fā)生地震過(guò)后,，這些人出現(xiàn)遺漏數(shù)字或是認(rèn)錯(cuò)數(shù)字的情況增加了,。
比較地震發(fā)生前后參試者對(duì)數(shù)字反應(yīng)的差別后發(fā)現(xiàn)：如果參試者在地震過(guò)后顯得焦慮不安的話，他們作出反應(yīng)的時(shí)間會(huì)縮短,，但所做出的反應(yīng)往往是錯(cuò)誤的,。研究結(jié)果暗示：重大災(zāi)難后,，我們的認(rèn)知負(fù)荷會(huì)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.
