Age Related Changes in Cognitive Response Style in the Driving Task: Part II

015020342013Final ReportPDFTech ReportMITR20-5DriversPhysiological aspectsWorkloadHeart rateAttentionPerformance testsAged driversResearch HubHighwaysSafety and Human FactorsI83: Accidents and the Human FactorAgeCognitionUnited StatesNew England University Transportation CenterReimer, BryanMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyUnited States. Dept. of Transportation. Research and Innovative Technology AdministrationUS Transportation CollectionThis project further explored the patterns in drivers\u2019 physiological arousal to periods of heightened cognitive workload. Various physiological measures have been well established to increase with escalating cognitive workload (Backs & Seljos, 1994; Veltman & Gaillard, 1998). While in many cases heart rate increases with cognitive demand, results from a set of driving simulation studies completed as part of this project illustrate that situations exist where an increase in overt cognitive demand does not result in an increase in heart rate. In essence, this research suggests that there are cognitively demanding situations where heart rate may increase or decrease, depending on how attention is directed or allocated. B. C. Lacey and Lacey (1974) and J. I. Lacey, Kagan, Lacey, and Moss(1963)suggest that heart rate deceleration is associated with an attentional state involving the intake of environmental stimuli (a broad ranging external focus), while heart rate acceleration may be related to an attentional style that involves selectively ignoring or rejecting input that may be disruptive or distracting to a focused cognitive task