What is it about?
Fatigue is a phenomenon with many implications for the individuals, causing daily perturbations for each of us. Fatigue also has societal implications, as economic costs and death have each been attributed to fatigue. To be studied accurately, it is crucial to distinguish the term fatigue from related terms such as boredom or sleepiness. The terminology “passive” fatigue is often used in the literature. In this article we discuss first why we consider this term to be semantically inaccurate. Next, we explain how the observed decline in performance in studies on "passive" fatigue can be better explained by boredom and sleepiness. Specifically, we argue that "passive" fatigue may not, in fact, exist. Finally, in the third section, we suggest directions for future research.
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Why is it important?
It is important to distinguish between terms that refer to different concepts. This distinction allows for the development of robust theories and contributes to advancing research and science. In this article, we emphasize that the term "passive" fatigue may lead to confusion with other concepts closely related to fatigue, such as sleepiness or boredom. In the third section of the article, we provide recommendations for future studies on the topic of fatigue.
Perspectives
I hope this study will help researchers better differentiate terms that are sometimes conflated. By doing so, it should contribute to the development or refinement of existing theories on fatigue, thereby advancing research in the field.
Thomas Mangin
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: It is time to stop using the terminology “passive” fatigue., Motivation Science, November 2024, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/mot0000375.
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