Psychophysiological effects of incentive feedback on unmanned aircraft operators’ mood and motivation

The present paper investigates performance feedback effects on emotion and motivation related to the operation and control of computerised systems which are habitually lacking this consideration of human factors dimension. Written feedback (positive, negative, control) was incorporated after a task of speedy word finding by comparing the results to a fictional list of existing scores to feedback and assessing whether the participants performed better, worse or the same as others. Self-report questionnaires were distributed to 30 participants to measure mood state (UWIST Mood Adjective Check List, Matthews et al., 1990) and motivation (Motivation scale from Dundee Stress State Questionnaire, Matthews & Desmond, 1998). Participants’ heart rate (HR) was measured through ECG using BIOPAC and calculated as R-R intervals. Results revealed a main effect for both positive and negative motivation between experimental conditions (trial, feedback, and task). A further significant main effect was demonstrated for HR alone, however not between experimental conditions. No other significant main effects for motivation or mood state were found between experimental conditions. These findings highlighted that feedback was appraised as a motivational trigger, and it could be incorporated in the ground control station of unmanned aircraft systems to monitor pilots and operation crews’ motivation during flight missions and persistent surveillance tasks.