Influence of Stereoscopic Depth on the Flanker Compatibility Effect

Modern air-traffic control displays feature complex symbology that may negatively impact operator performance efficiency. Manipulations of stereoscopic depth have been proposed as a means to declutter such displays and thereby to enhance operator performance. In this study, we employed a flanker task designed by Eriksen and Eriksen (1974) to further investigate that possibility. Participants were required to correctly respond to target letters from the sets H and K and S and C that were bordered horizontally by response compatible and response incompatible flanking letters. Using a stereoscopic imaging technique, the flanking letters were made to appear .1 and .8 cm in front of or behind the target letters, or on the same plane as the target letters. Consistent with the findings of Eriksen and Eriksen (1974), when all letters appeared on the same plane, response times (RTs) to target letters in the presence of response incompatible flanking letters were significantly elevated in comparison to RTs in the p...