Effect of feedback mode and task difficulty on quality of timing decisions in a zero-sum game.

Objective: The objective was to investigate the interaction between the mode of performance outcome feedback and task difficulty on timing decisions (i.e., when to act).

Background: Feedback is widely acknowledged to affect task performance. However, the extent to which feedback display mode and its impact on timing decisions is moderated by task difficulty remains largely unknown.

Method: Participants repeatedly engaged a zero-sum game involving silent duels with a computerized opponent and were given visual performance feedback after each engagement. They were sequentially tested on three different levels of task difficulty (low, intermediate, and high) in counterbalanced order. Half received relatively simple "inside view" binary outcome feedback, and the other half received complex "outside view" hit rate probability feedback. The key dependent variables were response time (i.e., time taken to make a decision) and survival outcome.

Results: When task difficulty was low to moderate, participants were more likely to learn and perform better from hit rate probability feedback than binary outcome feedback. However, better performance with hit rate feedback exacted a higher cognitive cost manifested by higher decision response time.

Conclusion: The beneficial effect of hit rate probability feedback on timing decisions is partially moderated by task difficulty.

Application: Performance feedback mode should be judiciously chosen in relation to task difficulty for optimal performance in tasks involving timing decisions.