Norman Mackworth

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Norman H. Mackworth (* 1917 ; † 2005 ) is a British psychologist and neuroscientist . He is known for his pioneering work and research in the field of cognitive functions, especially attention and alertness. Norman Mackworth invented the Mackworth clock test , among other things .

Work and life

Mackworth was an avid researcher of vigilance and began systematic studies in this area. During the Second World War he was recruited by the RAF. He was supposed to research the efficiency of radar and sonar workers because weaknesses in control surveillance were found. Norman Mackworth found that the monotonous work on the radar leads to greatly reduced vigilance the longer it takes. The workers on the radar lost around 10 to 15 percent of their efficiency after just 30 minutes. Mackworth tested the radar workers using his proprietary Mackworth Clock Test . In 1951 Mackworth became director of the research unit for applied psychology at the University of Cambridge , replacing Sir Frederick Bartlett. He held this position for seven years.

Change of location and significance of his research

In 1958 Norman Mackworth emigrated to Canada. He died in 2005, at the age of 88. Mackworth laid a groundbreaking foundation with his science. His findings are still used today in brain research . Above all, his invention, the Mackworth clock, is used in many areas of neuropsychological research. In his honor, the Mackworth Rock is named after him, a cliff rock in the Antarctic.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ History of Neuroscience and Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge , Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine; adapted from A History of Cambridge Neuroscience (Compston & Jones), 2008; Retrieved September 8, 2012
  2. ↑ Vigilance Requires Hard Mental Work and Is Stressful ( Memento of the original from June 12, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 87 kB), Warm, JS, Parasuraman, R., & Matthews, G. (2008). Human Factors, 50 , 433-441 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / archlab.gmu.edu
  3. ^ History of the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at Cambridge University
personal data
SURNAME Mackworth, Norman
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Mackworth, Norman H.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British psychologist and neuroscientist
DATE OF BIRTH 1917
DATE OF DEATH 2005