Interactive effects of task load and music tempo on psychological, psychophysiological, and behavioural outcomes during simulated driving.

We examined the interactive effects of task load and music tempo on cognition, affect, cardiac response, and safety-relevant behaviour during simulated driving. Using a counterbalanced, within-subjects design, participants (N = 46) were exposed to fast-, slow-, and no-music conditions at high and low loads in a high-grade simulator. Task load had the most salient effect across a broad swath of variables. For core affect, the Load × Music Condition interaction showed that, under high load, affective arousal scores were higher in the fast-tempo condition vs. slow. A main effect of tempo emerged for the HRV index of SDNN, with fast-tempo music eliciting lower scores than both slow- and no-music conditions. Behavioural data showed a main effect of tempo for risk ratings, with fast-tempo music eliciting the highest scores for a traffic-light trigger. Our findings indicate that drivers in high-load, urban environments should exercise caution in their use of fast-tempo music. Practitioner summary: We examined the interactive effects of task load and music tempo in simulated driving (urban and highway). Cognition, mood, cardiac response, and driving behaviour were assessed. Participants exhibited more risky behaviours in response to fast-tempo music. Drivers should exercise caution in their use of up-tempo music in urban settings.

Psychological, psychophysiological and behavioural effects of participant-selected vs. researcher-selected music in simulated urban driving.

We investigated the effect of participant-selected (PSel) and researcher-selected (RSel) music on urban driving behaviour in young men (N = 27; Mage = 20.6 years, SD = 1.9 years). A counterbalanced, within-subjects design was used with four simulated driving conditions: PSel fast-tempo music, PSel slow-tempo music, RSel music and an urban traffic-noise control. The between-subjects variable of personality (introverts vs. extroverts) was explored. The presence of PSel slow-tempo music and RSel music optimised affective valence and arousal for urban driving. NASA Task Load Index scores indicated that the urban traffic-noise control increased mental demand compared to PSel slow-tempo music. In the PSel slow-tempo condition, less use was made of the brake pedal. When compared to extroverts, introverts recorded lower mean speed and attracted lower risk ratings under PSel slow-tempo music. The utility of PSel slow-tempo and RSel music was demonstrated in terms of optimising affective state for simulated urban driving.

Perspectives on occlusion and requirements for validation.

This paper discusses the limitations and potential of using an occlusion test to assess visual distraction and the suitability of an in-vehicle information system (IVIS) task for driving. This discussion was expanded from issues raised during a UK workshop on occlusion. The paper describes the research history and empirical foundations of occlusion. It describes some of the occlusion technology and applications for this procedure. Issues concerning the occlusion tasks and the duration and timing of occlusion are presented. The main part of this paper focuses on the priority research considerations for occlusion. The paper concludes with a description of some alternatives to occlusion and future research needs. It is concluded that the occlusion test has some promise, however the empirical basis for occlusion is lacking. If occlusion is to be developed as a metric to determine maximal safe visual distraction, substantial barriers remain.