Errors in the performance of repetitive or boring tasksoften

Errors in the performance of repetitive or “boring” tasks—often attributed to a momentary lapse in concentration—can be serious in such activities as flying a passenger aircraft. Is there any method that would provide warning of such lapses—for example by monitoring brain activity? Researchers scanned the brains of volunteers performing a repetitive task. When the tasks were being performed correctly, the volunteers’ brains showed activity in cognitive-processing regions. However, these regions became less active several seconds before some errors were made, and another brain region, region X, became active. The researchers concluded that the monitoring of region X could provide warning of an impending error.

Which of the following, if true, most supports the researchers’ conclusion?


(A) The cognitive effort required in performing a repetitive task diminishes significantly with increases in the number of repetitions of the task performance.
(B) Once a mistake was made and detected, brain activity in regions associated with cognitive effort sometimes increased.
(C) Other research found that whenever significant activity occurs in region X, it is generally with repetitive tasks, soon before (an error occurs.
(D) The diminution of brain activity in cognitive processing regions and the increase of activity in region X began at least 5 seconds before the errors occurred.
(E) Reduced activity in brain regions associated with cognitive effort was accompanied by increased activity in regions that become active during sleep.


CR20521.01