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The effects of mental fatigue on decision-making for collision avoidance
Isaac M Kelly1, Michael E Cinelli2
1Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave. W, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3C5, Canada.
Experimental Brain Research
|December 5, 2025
Summary
Mental fatigue, induced by demanding cognitive tasks, did not impair decision-making in a simulated collision avoidance task. Participants showed improved response times and accuracy after the intervention, suggesting the task was not sufficiently challenging.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human Factors Engineering
Background:
- Mental fatigue is a state resulting from prolonged cognitive exertion, potentially affecting performance.
- Decision-making under pressure is crucial in various real-world scenarios, including collision avoidance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of mental fatigue on decision-making accuracy and response time in a collision avoidance task.
- To assess if a demanding cognitive task (Stroop task) induces measurable mental fatigue.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-six adults were divided into mental fatigue and control groups.
- Participants performed a virtual collision avoidance task before and after a 30-minute intervention (Stroop task or documentary).
- A psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) measured behavioral signs of mental fatigue.
Main Results:
- The mental fatigue group showed slower response times on the PVT post-intervention.
- Both groups exhibited faster response times and enhanced accuracy on the collision avoidance task after their respective interventions.
- No significant performance decrements were observed in the collision avoidance task due to mental fatigue.
Conclusions:
- The collision avoidance task, as designed, may not be sufficiently cognitively demanding to elicit performance deficits from mental fatigue.
- Further research with more challenging tasks is needed to fully understand mental fatigue's effects on decision-making.
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