Effects of time on task, breaks, and target prevalence on screener performance in an X-ray image inspection task

Abstract

Currently, it is not clear how long security officers can maintain their performance when inspecting X-ray images of passenger bags for prohibited items. New technologies and working environments in airport security screening could profit from longer screening durations, and they might also facilitate performance upkeep. In our study, two groups of security officers conducted a one-hour simulated cabin baggage screening task. One group took 10-minute breaks every 20 minutes; the other worked continuously. Both groups worked under two different target prevalence conditions. Results showed a shift in response tendency that developed at the beginning of the task. Moreover, security officers were able to maintain their visual inspection performance over the course of one hour. There was no difference in performance between the group with breaks and the group without breaks. These results lay the groundwork for further testing longer screening durations in the field.