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Modeling cognitive load effects of conversation between a passenger and driver
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-19, 04:56 authored by Tillman, G, Strayer, D, Eidels, A, Heathcote, ACognitive load from secondary tasks is a source of distraction causing injuries and fatalities on the roadway. The Detection Response Task (DRT) is an international standard for assessing cognitive load on drivers’ attention that can be performed as a secondary task with little to no measurable effect on the primary driving task. We investigated whether decrements in DRT performance were related to the rate of information processing, levels of response caution, or the non-decision processing of drivers. We had pairs of participants take part in the DRT while performing a simulated driving task, manipulated cognitive load via the conversation between driver and passenger, and observed associated slowing in DRT response time. Fits of the single-bound diffusion model indicated that slowing was mediated by an increase in response caution. We propose the novel hypothesis that, rather than the DRT’s sensitivity to cognitive load being a direct result of a loss of information processing capacity to other tasks, it is an indirect result of a general tendency to be more cautious when making responses in more demanding situations.
History
Publication title
Attention Perception & PsychophysicsVolume
79Issue
6Pagination
1795-1803ISSN
1943-3921Department/School
School of Psychological SciencesPublisher
Springer New York LLCPlace of publication
United StatesRights statement
© The Psychonomic Society, Inc. 2017Repository Status
- Restricted