Abstract
This study tested whether adverse effects of state anxiety on attention and performance may be modulated by experience. Sixteen experienced and eleven inexperienced drivers drove in a simulator under low- and high-stress conditions. Anxiety was manipulated by competition, the presence of an evaluator, external video camera, and traffic noise. Most drivers showed greater anxiety scores and higher mean heart rates following manipulation. In both groups increased state anxiety decreased car speed control and caused more collisions, accompanied by fewer fixations of longer duration towards the driving lane across a horizontally narrower region. Inexperienced drivers increased the number of short fixations towards cars, while experienced drivers increased the number of short fixations on the speedometer. Although anxiety impairs processing efficiency and performance effectiveness for both groups, attentional changes differ as a function of experience. Inexperienced drivers tended to shift attention to threatening stimuli, while experienced drives were more likely to consciously monitor task goal.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 41-47 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Applied Ergonomics |
| Volume | 74 |
| Early online date | 15 Aug 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 2019 |
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Keywords
- Anxiety
- Attentional control theory
- Driving experience
- Gaze
Cite this
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Adverse effects of anxiety on attentional control differ as a function of experience : A simulated driving study. / Gotardi, Gisele C.; Polastri, Paula F.; Schor, Paulo; Oudejans, Raôul R.D.; van der Kamp, John; Savelsbergh, Geert J.P.; Navarro, Martina; Rodrigues, Sérgio T.
In: Applied Ergonomics, Vol. 74, 01.2019, p. 41-47.Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Adverse effects of anxiety on attentional control differ as a function of experience
T2 - A simulated driving study
AU - Gotardi, Gisele C.
AU - Polastri, Paula F.
AU - Schor, Paulo
AU - Oudejans, Raôul R.D.
AU - van der Kamp, John
AU - Savelsbergh, Geert J.P.
AU - Navarro, Martina
AU - Rodrigues, Sérgio T.
PY - 2019/1
Y1 - 2019/1
N2 - This study tested whether adverse effects of state anxiety on attention and performance may be modulated by experience. Sixteen experienced and eleven inexperienced drivers drove in a simulator under low- and high-stress conditions. Anxiety was manipulated by competition, the presence of an evaluator, external video camera, and traffic noise. Most drivers showed greater anxiety scores and higher mean heart rates following manipulation. In both groups increased state anxiety decreased car speed control and caused more collisions, accompanied by fewer fixations of longer duration towards the driving lane across a horizontally narrower region. Inexperienced drivers increased the number of short fixations towards cars, while experienced drivers increased the number of short fixations on the speedometer. Although anxiety impairs processing efficiency and performance effectiveness for both groups, attentional changes differ as a function of experience. Inexperienced drivers tended to shift attention to threatening stimuli, while experienced drives were more likely to consciously monitor task goal.
AB - This study tested whether adverse effects of state anxiety on attention and performance may be modulated by experience. Sixteen experienced and eleven inexperienced drivers drove in a simulator under low- and high-stress conditions. Anxiety was manipulated by competition, the presence of an evaluator, external video camera, and traffic noise. Most drivers showed greater anxiety scores and higher mean heart rates following manipulation. In both groups increased state anxiety decreased car speed control and caused more collisions, accompanied by fewer fixations of longer duration towards the driving lane across a horizontally narrower region. Inexperienced drivers increased the number of short fixations towards cars, while experienced drivers increased the number of short fixations on the speedometer. Although anxiety impairs processing efficiency and performance effectiveness for both groups, attentional changes differ as a function of experience. Inexperienced drivers tended to shift attention to threatening stimuli, while experienced drives were more likely to consciously monitor task goal.
KW - Anxiety
KW - Attentional control theory
KW - Driving experience
KW - Gaze
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85051377053&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85051377053&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.apergo.2018.08.009
DO - 10.1016/j.apergo.2018.08.009
M3 - Article
VL - 74
SP - 41
EP - 47
JO - Applied Ergonomics
JF - Applied Ergonomics
SN - 0003-6870
ER -