Flicker Test as a Load Measurement During the Combined Effect of Heat and Noise

This study was a joint physiological and psychological experiment undertaken to determine changes in physiological and psychological human functions under the combined influence of heat, noise, and physical activity. Seven experimental situations were simulated in a climatic chamber with different configurations of three independent variables: heat (40 °C), noise (98 dB), and physical effort (30% of maximum volume of oxygen uptake—V0₂ max). Five psychological variables (critical flicker fusion—CFF, hand tremor, reaction time, subjective climate evaluation, and subjective evaluation of the given condition load) and two physiological variables (heart rate and rectal temperature) were monitored. Results indicate that CFF changed (increased) significantly when more than one experimental variable was applied. These changes coincided with significant changes in both subjective climate evaluation and subjective evaluation of a given condition load. There were no significant changes in psychomotor functions (hand tremor and reaction time). None of the observed physiological parameters were above the critical value. The results suggest that CFF can be treated as a psychophysical load indicator.