Central executive functions likely mediate the impact of device operation when driving
Abstract
We measured multitasking performance across a range of device interfaces and investigated the relationship between task performance and three measures of cognitive capacity (assessing the executive processes of shifting, inhibition, and updating, respectively). In the first experiment, higher levels of ability on the three executive processes of shifting, updating and inhibition were associated with improved multitasking performance. However, the impact of cognitive demands was reduced when touch input and combined visual and audio output was used in the device interaction task. When a simulated driving task was added in the second experiment, the impact of cognitive demands increased, and the use of combined audio and video output no longer reduced the impact of Central Executive (CE) function ability on performance.
Authors: Sachi Mizobuchi, Mark Chignell, Junko Suzuki, Ko Koga, Kazunari Nawa
Published in: International Conference on Automotive User Interfaces and Interactive Vehicular Applications (AutomotiveUI) (2011)