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A link between attentional function, effective eye movements and driving ability

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MacKenzie_2016_Link_JEPHPP_CC.pdf (1.018Mb)
Date
02/2017
Author
MacKenzie, Andrew Kerr
Harris, Julie
Keywords
Eye movements
Driving
Visual attention
Visual cognition
BF Psychology
RC0321 Neuroscience. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
NDAS
BDC
R2C
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Abstract
The misallocation of driver visual attention has been suggested as a major contributing factor to vehicle accidents. One possible reason is that the relatively high cognitive demands of driving limits the ability to efficiently allocate gaze. We present an experiment that explores the relationship between attentional function and visual performance when driving. Drivers performed two variations of a multiple object tracking task targeting aspects of cognition including sustained attention, dual-tasking, covert attention and visuomotor skill. They also drove a number of courses in a driving simulator. Eye movements were recorded throughout. We found that individuals who performed better in the cognitive tasks exhibited more effective eye movement strategies when driving, such as scanning more of the road, and they also exhibited better driving performance. We discuss the potential link between an individual's attentional function, effective eye movements and driving ability. We also discuss the use of a visuomotor task in assessing driving behaviour.The misallocation of driver visual attention has been suggested as a major contributing factor to vehicle accidents. One possible reason is that the relatively high cognitive demands of driving limit the ability to efficiently allocate gaze. We present an experiment that explores the relationship between attentional function and visual performance when driving. Drivers performed 2 variations of a multiple-object tracking task targeting aspects of cognition including sustained attention, dual-tasking, covert attention, and visuomotor skill. They also drove a number of courses in a driving simulator. Eye movements were recorded throughout. We found that individuals who performed better in the cognitive tasks exhibited more effective eye movement strategies when driving, such as scanning more of the road, and they also exhibited better driving performance. We discuss the potential link between an individual’s attentional function, effective eye movements, and driving ability. We also discuss the use of a visuomotor task in assessing driving behavior.
Citation
MacKenzie , A K & Harris , J 2017 , ' A link between attentional function, effective eye movements and driving ability ' , Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance , vol. 43 , no. 2 , pp. 381-394 . https://doi.org/10.1037/xhp0000297
Publication
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance
Status
Peer reviewed
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1037/xhp0000297
ISSN
0096-1523
Type
Journal article
Rights
Copyright 2016 the Author(s). This article has been published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Copyright for this article is retained by the author(s). Author(s) grant(s) the American Psychological Association the exclusive right to publish the article and identify itself as the original publisher.
Description
This work was supported by the Engineering and the Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) under Grant EP/K503162/1.
Collections
  • University of St Andrews Research
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/9264

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