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HYSTERESIS EFFECTS IN DRIVING
Title
HYSTERESIS EFFECTS IN DRIVING.
Creator
Morgan, Justin, Hancock, Peter, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
This dissertation presents two studies examining the interaction between workload history and driver mental workload. The first experiment focuses on testing for the presence of a hysteresis effect in the driving task. The second experiment examines the proposition that cueing impending periods of higher task demand can reduce the impact of any such potential hysteresis effects. Thirty-two licensed drivers served as participants and all served in both studies. Using the directions provided by...
Show moreThis dissertation presents two studies examining the interaction between workload history and driver mental workload. The first experiment focuses on testing for the presence of a hysteresis effect in the driving task. The second experiment examines the proposition that cueing impending periods of higher task demand can reduce the impact of any such potential hysteresis effects. Thirty-two licensed drivers served as participants and all served in both studies. Using the directions provided by a Heads-Up-Display navigation system, participants followed a pre-set route in the simulated environment. At specified points within the drive, the navigation system would purposefully fail which required drivers to relay a ten digit alphanumeric error code to a remote operator in order to reset the system. Results indicated that this increase in task demand from the navigation system's failure leads to a significant increase in perceived mental workload as compared to pre-failure periods. This increase in driver mental workload was not significantly reduced by the time the drive ended, indicating the presence of a hysteresis effect. In the second experiment, the navigation system provided a completely reliable visual warning before failure. Results indicate that cueing had neither an effect on perceived mental workload, nor any ameliorating effect on the hysteretic type effect seen in mental workload recovery. The conclusion of these findings being that the overall safety and efficiency of the surface transportation system would likely improve by designs which accommodate the periods immediately following a reduction in stress. Whether from leaving high demand areas such as work zones or in the period immediately after using a in-car information device such as a GPS or a cell phone, these post-high workload periods are associated with increased variability in driver inputs and levels of mental workload.
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Date Issued
2008
Identifier
CFE0002169, ucf:47925
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002169
Examining Energetic and Structural Components of Knowledge of Result Using a Vigilance Paradigm
Title
Examining Energetic and Structural Components of Knowledge of Result Using a Vigilance Paradigm.
Creator
Fraulini, Nicholas, Szalma, James, Mouloua, Mustapha, Hancock, Peter, Matthews, Gerald, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
Vigilance, or the ability to maintain attention to stimuli over a prolonged period of time (Davies (&) Parasuraman, 1982; Warm (&) Jerison, 1984), has been a troublesome research topic since World War II. Scientists have sought to counteract performance declines in vigilance tasks by training observers on these tasks. Though an extensive literature has been developed to examine the effectiveness of these techniques, the mechanisms by which many forms of vigilance training help performance are...
Show moreVigilance, or the ability to maintain attention to stimuli over a prolonged period of time (Davies (&) Parasuraman, 1982; Warm (&) Jerison, 1984), has been a troublesome research topic since World War II. Scientists have sought to counteract performance declines in vigilance tasks by training observers on these tasks. Though an extensive literature has been developed to examine the effectiveness of these techniques, the mechanisms by which many forms of vigilance training help performance are largely unknown. The present dissertation seeks to further the understanding of how two forms of training for vigilance, practice and knowledge of result, function to improve observers' ability to remain vigilant as time on task increases. In addition to understanding these forms of training, this dissertation seeks to develop a training protocol that would train observers for vigilance without adversely affecting their cognitive resources. Finally, this dissertation utilizes this new training protocol to examine the potential for transfer of training, which has been a question for vigilance researchers for decades. Results relating to these three research questions are presented, as well as a discussion of how these results may inform or influence vigilance research in the future.
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Date Issued
2017
Identifier
CFE0006876, ucf:51746
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006876
Interactive Amusement Park Queues: Examining the Indirect Effect of Task Work Load on Guests' Perception of Wait Duration Through Task Immersion
Title
Interactive Amusement Park Queues: Examining the Indirect Effect of Task Work Load on Guests' Perception of Wait Duration Through Task Immersion.
Creator
Ledbetter, Jonathan, Smither, Janan, Hancock, Peter, Joseph, Dana, Sims, Valerie, Allen, Robert, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
With the increasing attendance across amusement and theme parks worldwide, it is not surprising that minimizing the impact of large crowds and long attraction waits on the guests' experience has received much focus by park operators in recent years. Although effective in the short term, attempting to eliminate or reduce wait times by simply increasing capacity cannot be sustained long term. A recent trend in amusement park design is to theme the queue with interactive elements to engage...
Show moreWith the increasing attendance across amusement and theme parks worldwide, it is not surprising that minimizing the impact of large crowds and long attraction waits on the guests' experience has received much focus by park operators in recent years. Although effective in the short term, attempting to eliminate or reduce wait times by simply increasing capacity cannot be sustained long term. A recent trend in amusement park design is to theme the queue with interactive elements to engage guests and occupy their wait time with the intent of making the wait queue part of the attraction itself. Much of the research on the topic of waiting in line focuses on improving the customers' experience while waiting by altering the wait queue. Very little research to date empirically tests the impact that queue characteristics have on a customers' perceived wait duration with the research pool void of any applications to an interactive amusement park queue. This dissertation study tested five hypotheses to determine how playing an interactive math skills game while waiting to ride a virtual roller coaster affected the participants' perceived wait duration. The first hypothesis tested if the participants' perceived wait time decreased as the mental workload of the game increased. The results did not find that this effect of mental workload on perception of time was significant. The second hypothesis tested whether participants who experience higher levels of game immersion estimate perceive wait time to be lower. The results indicated that this effect of game immersion on perceived wait time was significant. The third hypothesis tested whether participants' experience higher levels of game immersion when the perceived mental workload of the math skills game was higher. This effect of mental workload on immersion was found to be significant.Hypothesis 4 tested whether the participants' perceived wait time was indirectly effected by the mental workload of the math skills through immersion. This indirect effect was found to be significant and the results support complete mediation by immersion because the direct effect was not significant with the indirect effect in the model. Hypothesis tested whether the mediated effect of mental workload on time perception via game immersion was moderated by participants' levels of sensation seeking and extraversion. Individual differences of extraversion and sensation seeking were not found to moderate the indirect effect.This study demonstrates that research in the area of time perception can be applied to amusement and theme park queue design. Furthermore, it shows the importance of providing guests with an immersive queue experience to positively impact their perception of wait time, the number one complaint of many amusement and theme park visitors. Future research in this field should examine the individual elements of the queue environment to determine the optimal design to increase the level of immersion for park guests.
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Date Issued
2016
Identifier
CFE0006135, ucf:51183
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006135
PREDICTING COGNITIVE WORKLOAD WITH MEASURES FROM FUNCTIONAL NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY (FNIRS) AND HEART RATE
Title
PREDICTING COGNITIVE WORKLOAD WITH MEASURES FROM FUNCTIONAL NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY (FNIRS) AND HEART RATE.
Creator
Duany, John, Bohil, Corey, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description
The objective of this study was to assess low to high levels of Cognitive Workload by measuring heart rate and cortical blood flow in real-time. Four conditions were implemented into a within-subjects experimental design. Two conditions of difficulty and two conditions of trial order were used to illicit different levels of workload which will be analyzed with psychophysiological equipment. Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) has become more prominent for measuring the blood...
Show moreThe objective of this study was to assess low to high levels of Cognitive Workload by measuring heart rate and cortical blood flow in real-time. Four conditions were implemented into a within-subjects experimental design. Two conditions of difficulty and two conditions of trial order were used to illicit different levels of workload which will be analyzed with psychophysiological equipment. Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) has become more prominent for measuring the blood oxygenation levels in the prefrontal cortex of individuals operating in hazardous work environments, students with learning disabilities, and in research for military training. This is due to the fNIR device being highly mobile, inexpensive, and able to produce a high-spatial resolution of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during executive functioning. Heart Rate will be measured by an Electrocardiogram, which will be used in concordance with fNIR oxygenation levels to predict if an individual is in a condition that produces low or high mental workload. Successfully utilizing heart rate and blood oxygenation data as predictors of cognitive workload may validate implementing multiple physiological devices together in real-time and may be a more accurate solution for preventing excessive workload.
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Date Issued
2013
Identifier
CFH0004478, ucf:45070
Format
Document (PDF)
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004478