About Norman Mackworth
Lived 1917 – 2005 (aged 87–88). Norman Mackworth was a British psychologist.
Norman H. "Mack" Mackworth (1917–2005) was a British psychologist and cognitive scientist known for his pioneering work in the study of boredom, attention, and vigilance; the Mackworth Clock test has been used since the 1940s in the study of vigilance.
During the Second World War, Mackworth was recruited by the RAF to study the efficiency of radar operators - after only 30 minutes the operators lost about 10 to 15 percent of their efficiency. His findings resulted in the length of operator duty shifts being severely reduced.
In 1951, Mackworth became head of the Unit for Research in Applied Psychology at Cambridge University, where he remained until emigrating to Canada in 1958.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Norman Mackworth's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Norman Mackworth?
British psychologist
When was Norman Mackworth born?
Norman Mackworth was born in 1917.
When did Norman Mackworth die?
Norman Mackworth died in 2005.
What was Norman Mackworth's occupation?
Norman Mackworth was a psychologist.
What nationality was Norman Mackworth?
Norman Mackworth was British.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Norman Mackworth. https://biography.guide/norman-mackworth/
MLA: "Norman Mackworth." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/norman-mackworth/.
Chicago: "Norman Mackworth." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/norman-mackworth/.
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