The Impact of Shift Work on Mind-Wandering and Neurocognitive Mechanisms in Drilling Crews

Abstract The stability of cognitive functioning among frontline personnel plays a pivotal role in ensuring operational safety within high-risk industries; nevertheless, the neurocognitive mechanisms through which shift work disrupts attentional control and induces mind-wandering (MW) remain insufficiently understood, particularly under conditions involving prolonged mental load and circadian misalignment. This study utilized a lab-in-the-field experiment with the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) and wearable electroencephalography (EEG) technology to investigate the effects of shift work on mind-wandering. The results revealed a significant coupling between behavioral performance and EEG signals. Time-domain analysis revealed that the pre-shift group did not show a distinct N2 component during mind-wandering periods, while the post-shift group displayed a notable increase in N2, indicating enhanced conflict monitoring and cognitive resource allocation efficiency following shift work. Time-domain analysis showed that the pre-shift group lacked a distinct N2 component during mind-wandering periods, whereas the post-shift group demonstrated a noticeable increase in N2, indicating enhanced conflict monitoring and cognitive resource allocation efficiency following shift work. These findings uncover the neurocognitive pathway through which shift work induces mind-wandering, highlighting the N2 component as a key marker of impaired attentional regulation, and offer empirical evidence to support neurophysiological risk monitoring in high-risk operational settings.