On attentional control and the aging driver
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-1966-1.ch002
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Summary
Simulator study examining the interrelationship among age, attentional control, and driving performance, framed by cognitive-aging theories that link prefrontal decline to reduced attentional control. Participants spanning a wide age range maintained a prescribed following distance behind a lead vehicle in a high-fidelity simulator and braked when the lead vehicle braked. Following distance lengthened and brake reaction time slowed with age, and regression analyses showed both effects co-varied with age-related deficits in attentional control. The authors argue this demonstrates the value of cognitive theory for understanding age-related changes in real-world tasks.
Key finding
Age-related lengthening of following distance and slowing of brake reaction time co-vary with deficits in attentional control, suggesting prefrontal-mediated attentional decline underlies age effects on driving.
Methodology
Exp 1: 10 participants, repeated measures across 6 sessions from 26 total. Exp 2: 20 participants, Old/New sequence comparison. On-road driving paradigm with DRT and NASA-TLX measures.
Sample size: Exp 1: N=10; Exp 2: N=20
Quality score: 5 / 5