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Abstract:
This chapter discusses the effects of confinement and isolation on mental performance and the allocation of attention. Although the small group sizes made statistically reliable comparisons within each group impossible, the between-group comparisons reveal some important results. The analysis of the performance data, reaction time, and accuracy indicates that mental processes underlying tone classification are differently affected by confinement and isolation. While performance in the conditions with frequent responses was comparable in the experimental and the control group, the responses to rare tones were prolonged for the experimental group. These prolonged responses were associated with a decrease in performance accuracy within the last two weeks of the isolation period. This suggests that the observed performance changes are not because a change of strategy, i.e. a slower reaction to maintain accuracy.