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Modeling cognitive load effects of conversation between a passenger and driver
Gabriel Tillman1,2, David Strayer3, Ami Eidels4
1School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia. gabrieltillman.au@gmail.com.
Attention, Perception & Psychophysics
|May 25, 2017
Summary
Secondary tasks increase cognitive load, leading to driver distraction. The Detection Response Task (DRT) shows that increased driver caution, not reduced information processing, explains performance decrements under cognitive load.
Area of Science:
- Human Factors
- Cognitive Psychology
- Transportation Safety
Background:
- Secondary tasks, such as conversations, impose cognitive load, increasing distraction and road accidents.
- The Detection Response Task (DRT) is a standard measure for driver attention, often used as a secondary task.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if DRT performance decrements under cognitive load are due to information processing rate, response caution, or non-decision processing.
- To test the hypothesis that cognitive load indirectly affects DRT performance via increased response caution.
Main Methods:
- Participants performed the DRT during a simulated driving task.
- Cognitive load was manipulated through driver-passenger conversations.
- The single-bound diffusion model was used to analyze DRT response times.
Main Results:
- Increased cognitive load led to slower DRT response times.
- Diffusion model analysis indicated that slower responses were mediated by increased response caution.
Conclusions:
- The DRT's sensitivity to cognitive load may stem from increased response caution, not a direct loss of information processing capacity.
- Drivers become more cautious in demanding situations, impacting secondary task performance.
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