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Towards a general theory of driver behaviour.
1Department of Psychology, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland. rfuller@tcd.ie
Accident; Analysis and Prevention
|March 24, 2005
Summary
Drivers aim to manage task difficulty, not just anxiety or collision risk. Speed choice is key to maintaining optimal driving difficulty, according to the task-capability interface (TCI) model.
Area of Science:
- Human Factors
- Traffic Psychology
- Cognitive Ergonomics
Background:
- Previous theories suggested drivers manage anxiety or collision risk.
- Risk homeostasis theory links driver behavior to subjective collision probability.
- Alternative views proposed learning and automated safety margins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose task difficulty as the primary driver's goal.
- To introduce the task-capability interface (TCI) model.
- To re-evaluate the role of risk perception in driver decision-making.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of driver behavior models.
- Elaboration of the task-capability interface (TCI) model.
- Review of existing evidence on driver performance and risk perception.
Main Results:
- Driver behavior is best explained by managing task difficulty, not statistical risk.
- The TCI model dynamically links task demand and driver capability.
- Perceived risk closely tracks task difficulty, not statistical risk estimates.
Conclusions:
- Task difficulty homeostasis is a key driver sub-goal.
- Speed choice is the primary mechanism for managing driving difficulty.
- Feelings of risk inform decisions based on task difficulty, not collision probability.