Abstract
The present study addressed the effects of stress, partial-vehicle automation, and subjective state on simulated vehicle driving. 168 college students participated. Participants in the stress-induction condition completed a ‘winter’ drive which included periodic loss-of-control episodes. Participants in the no-stressinduction condition were not exposed to loss of control. Participants then completed a test phase, during which they drove in one of three conditions varying in level of automation. Manipulation checks demonstrated that both the stress manipulation and level of automation influenced subjective state. Driver performance data were analyzed by means of hierarchical multiple regressions. Vehicle automation but not the stress induction influenced performance. In addition, individual differences in subjective task engagement and worry were associated with performance. Resource theory provides a framework that partially but not completely explains the impact of stress factors on performance. Data further show that analysis of individual differences is essential for predicting the effects of stress factors.
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