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Working Memory Performance and Subjective Stress During a Simulated Night Shift

June J. Pilcher,Skylar E. Weiskittel,K. Byrne

Published 2025 in Applied Cognitive Psychology

ABSTRACT

The current study examined context‐dependent and non‐context‐dependent working memory components and subjective stress during a simulated night shift. The AX‐Continuous Performance task (context‐dependent) and Sternberg task (non‐context‐dependent) were administered during four testing sessions to 63 healthy college students. General linear mixed models showed decreased accuracy, slower reaction times, and decreased Balance Integration Scores (combined speed‐accuracy score) on both tasks ( p s < 0.05). Furthermore, increases in subjective stress were related to decreased accuracy ( p  = 0.009), slower reaction times ( p  < 0.001), and decreased Balance Integration Scores ( p  < 0.001) for the AX‐Continuous Performance task but not the Sternberg task. Subjective stress increased across the simulated night shift ( p  < 0.001). These results suggest that key cognitive processes such as maintaining information, recalling and correcting ordered lists, and rapidly updating changing information would be negatively affected when working during the night. Subjective stress specifically impacted context‐dependent working memory such as adjusting priorities and strategies based on changing tasks or environmental requirements.

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