Effect of performance feedback (or lack thereof) on driver calibration

Abstract

Many drivers are miscalibrated, i.e. they think they are better or worse than they actually are at multitasking situations. Recent studies focused on calibration while driving show that drivers are miscalibrated, either over confident or under confident, and that this effect changes under different conditions. Previous work has demonstrated behavioral and performance benefits of feedback, yet these studies have not explicitly examined the issue of calibration. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to examine effect of feedback on calibration using an instrumented van and test track, employing a well-defined method to assess calibration. Twenty-four drivers completed a series of driving tasks on a test track. Half of the participants received performance feedback while the other half received no feedback. Calibration was assessed through comparison of drivers' subjective ratings of performance and confidence to objective performance measures. Results indicated that participants' calibration improved over time, but there was no consistent effect of feedback. In some cases, the Feedback group performed worse than those who did not receive feedback.