Auditory and Visual Peripheral Detection Tasks and the Lane Change Test with High and Low Cognitive Load

Abstract

The current study measured driving performance using the Lane Change Test (LCT) and a Peripheral Detection Task (PDT), to determine if stimulus modality (visual and auditory) and stimulus eccentricity would affect performance on the PDT. The peripheral stimuli were either small white circles or broadband noise bursts located either 13o or 19o to the left or right of the center lane. Participants were instructed to respond with left or right key presses to the stimuli’s relative location while performing the LCT. The cognitive load of participants was also varied, either no load, low load or high load, produced by the n-back task (no n-back, 0-back, 1-or 2-back). The results indicate that higher cognitive load leads to poorer driving performance, increased reaction time of PDTs, and higher subjective workload. This study supports previous research indicating driving performance suffers in response to increased cognitive load due to cognitive or attentional tunneling.