the Strayer et al (2003) study's last paragraph of the general discussion sums their results up fairly nicely:
In summary, we suggest that the use of cellular phones disrupts performance by diverting attention toward an engaging cognitive context other than the external environment immediately associ- ated with driving. Our data further suggest that legislative initia- tives that restrict handheld devices but permit hands-free devices are not likely to eliminate the problems associated with using cell phones while driving because these problems are attributed in large part to the distracting effects of the phone conversations themselves, effects that appear to be due to the direction of attention away from the external environment and toward an internal cognitive context associated with the phone conversatio On 2/22/06, Larry C. Lyons <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > hands free devices are still quite risky. For instance: > http://www.antiwrap.com/?902 > Cell Phone-Induced Failures of Visual Attention During Simulated Driving > David L. Strayer, Frank A. Drews, and William A. Johnston > Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. 2003, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2332 > > This research examined the effects of hands-free cell phone > conversations on simulated driving. The authors found that these > conversations impaired driver's reactions to vehicles braking in front > of them. The authors assessed whether this impairment could be > attributed to a withdrawal of attention from the visual scene, > yielding a form of inattention blindness. Cell phone conversations > impaired explicit recognition memory for roadside billboards. > Eye-tracking data indicated that this was due to reduced attention to > foveal information. This interpretation was bolstered by data showing > that cell phone conversations impaired implicit perceptual memory for > items presented at fixation. The data suggest thatthe impairment of > driving performance produced by cell phone conversations is mediated, > at least in part, by reduced attention to visual inputs. > -- > > Here's my take on the whole issue. My background is in cognitive > psychology, specifically attention research - my dissertation was on > the impact of distraction on the visual attentional performance of > high, medium and low hypnotically susceptible participants. > > One of the models of attentional processing uses a resource pool > analogy - we have a limited amount of attentional processing > resources. As you increase the demands of what needs be attended, > there is less available attention to other tasks. Since cell phones > and remote conversation require far more attention than many other > tasks, fewer attentional resources are available for driving. This > means that the critical cues and features (ie., the SUV in front of > you suddenly braking) are more likely missed than if there was no > distractors. > > larry > On 2/22/06, James Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > I think that the data also show that a hands free device isn't enough. > > > One of the studies I cited yesterday looked at that as one of > > > the side conditions. Using a hand-free device showed > > > significant reductions in the simulated driving tasks. > > > > I think the principal is that talking on a hands free is comparable to > > chatting with a passenger, and unless you are going to ban passengers (which > > would really screw up taxi companies :) then it is hard to justify banning > > the hands free phone. > > > > -- > > Jay > > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:197733 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
