THE EFFICACY OF SOME AUDITORY-VOCAL SUBSIDIARY TASKS AS MEASURES OF THE MENTAL LOAD ON MALE AND FEMALE DRIVERS

Eight male and eight female drivers took part in a study to assess the efficacy of a number of auditory-vocal subsidiary tasks as measures of the mental load imposed by driving under standardized conditions. Performing the subsidiary tasks appeared to interfere with female driving ability, but not with that of males. Some differences in subsidiary task performance were found between driving and non-driving conditions for both males and females. However, no one task appeared outstanding as a measure of mental load, and the performance decrements may have been due as much to auditory masking by the car noise as to competition for information-processing resources. The validity of dual-task methods is discussed, and it is argued that the use of common sensory or response modes cannot be avoided, but may in some cases be used to advantage. (Author/TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00140139
• Corporate Authors:

  Taylor & Francis

  4 Park Square, Milton Park
  Abingdon,   United Kingdom  OX14 4RN
• Authors:
  • WETHERELL, A
• Publication Date: 1981-3

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 197-214
• Serial:
  • Ergonomics
  • Volume: 24
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Taylor & Francis
  • ISSN: 0014-0139
  • EISSN: 1366-5847
  • Serial URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/terg20

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Aptitude; Auditory perception; Cognition; Deaf persons; Distraction; Driver performance; Drivers; Driving; Females; Hearing loss; Human beings; Males; Measurement; Noise; Personnel performance; Tests
• Uncontrolled Terms: Mental load
• Old TRIS Terms: Female drivers; Male drivers
• ITRD Terms: 1772: Driver; 1855: Driving (veh); 2226: Driving aptitude; 1787: Man; 6136: Measurement; 2234: Stress (psychol); 6255: Test; 1788: Woman
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00341280
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 28 1981 12:00AM