Manipulating Drivers' Mental Workload: Neuroergonomic Evaluation of the Speed Regulation N-Back Task Using NASA-TLX and Auditory P3a

Figalová, Nikol; Pichen, Jürgen; Chandrayan, Vanchha; Pollatos, Olga; Chuang, Lewis L; Baumann, Martin · 2023 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1145/3581961.3609887

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

Get this paper ↗ (DOI — opens at the source; we link to it, we don't host it)

Summary

This study addresses the challenge of manipulating drivers' mental workload (MW) within a single-task driving paradigm without introducing non-driving-related secondary tasks. Traditional methods often rely on dual-task approaches or non-standardized environmental manipulations, which can compromise ecological validity or reproducibility. The authors evaluate the modified speed regulation n-back task, a method where drivers adjust their speed based on current or previously displayed speed signs, to determine if it effectively and reliably manipulates MW. The research aims to provide empirical evidence for this task’s validity by combining subjective self-reports with objective neurophysiological measures. The experiment involved 23 participants who completed driving simulations in a fixed-base simulator while undergoing electroencephalography (EEG) recording. Participants performed two conditions: a 0-back task (adjusting speed to the currently displayed sign) and a 2-back task (adjusting speed to the sign displayed two steps prior). To assess objective MW, the researchers employed an auditory oddball paradigm, presenting task-irrelevant novel environmental sounds to elicit P3a event-related potentials. Subjective MW was measured using the NASA-TLX questionnaire after each condition. EEG data were preprocessed using the BeMoBil pipeline, and P3a amplitudes were analyzed at the Fz electrode, focusing on the difference waves between novel and frequent distractors. The results confirmed both hypotheses. Subjectively, participants reported significantly higher overall NASA-TLX scores in the 2-back condition (M = 58.48) compared to the 0-back condition (M = 42.46), with large effect sizes observed for mental demand, temporal demand, effort, and frustration. Objectively, the mean P3a amplitude elicited by novel sounds was significantly lower in the 2-back condition (M = 2.47 µV) than in the 0-back condition (M = 1.43 µV). This inverse relationship supports the multiple resources theory, indicating that higher cognitive load in the 2-back task consumed more processing resources, leaving fewer available for processing environmental stimuli. The study concludes that the speed regulation n-back task is a valid, effective, and reproducible method for manipulating mental workload in driving research. By demonstrating consistent effects across both subjective and objective measures, the authors establish this single-task approach as a standardized alternative to traditional dual-task methods. This contributes to the field of neuroergonomics by offering a tool that maintains driving realism while allowing for controlled, replicable workload manipulation. The authors note limitations regarding the sample’s youth and the limited range of n-back levels tested, suggesting future research should explore finer gradations of workload and broader demographic samples.

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed.

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-nvidia on 2026-08-10; verification: verified_with_issues.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• workload measurement
• mental demand
• neuro workload indices
• cognitive capacity variation
• stress driving

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: physiological data, self report data
• Theoretical Contribution: theory or model