Which subcomponent of sustained attention involves response to a repetitive task over time?

The subcomponent of sustained attention that involves responding to a repetitive task over time is vigilance. Vigilance refers to the ability to maintain focus and remain alert over prolonged periods, often in situations where the stimuli are infrequent or require a consistent response. This ability is critical for tasks that require monitoring for changes or specific signals that may occur at unpredictable intervals.

Vigilance is particularly important in settings such as air traffic control, security monitoring, or any context where a person must stay attentive for extended durations, managing to resist the natural tendency to become distracted or fatigued. By remaining vigilant, an individual can successfully respond to monotonous or repetitive tasks, ensuring accuracy and effectiveness over time.

The other aspects of attention listed are related but serve different functions. Working memory is about holding and manipulating information temporarily, focused attention refers to the ability to concentrate on a single task while ignoring distractions, and divided attention is the capability to distribute focus across multiple tasks or stimuli simultaneously. However, when it comes to the sustained engagement in a repetitive task, vigilance is the most appropriate and relevant subcomponent.