The influence of mood and cognitive load on driver performance: using multiple measures to assess safety

Emotions and moods are an inevitable part of human life. Previous research suggests that positive and negative moods affect human performance in many aspects: decision making, perception, reasoning and memory. The influence of mood on drivers’ behaviour has been studied to a less extent and mainly with respect to negative emotions. The studies reported in this thesis are based on psychological theories regarding the differences in the effects of positive and negative moods on information processing and mind wandering. The thesis describes two studies: a desktop study and a driving simulator study, which measure drivers’ responses to the actions of other traffic, their observational patterns and driving behaviours in a variety of scenarios. The effects of neutral, happy, sad and angry moods were studied. The simulator study also investigated possible ways to disconnect drivers’ minds from mood induced mind wandering by using different types of cognitive load. The results suggest that mood valence and arousal have different effects on driving safety, with negative moods resulting in the most dangerous driving. In order to draw conclusions about the effect of mood, a combination of multiple measures (e.g. glance patterns, driving performance and drivers’ physiological measures) should be analysed. The results also suggest that some amount of cognitive load, applied while driving, can have a positive effect on drivers’ attention. Further research is needed to establish the amount and type of the cognitive load necessary to improve drivers’ ability to maintain their attention on the driving task. Studies with a larger number of participants and field studies are needed to validate the findings. It is suggested that the findings are used to improve in-car assistance systems able to both detect the harmful effects of a driver’s emotional state and re-direct their attention to the primary task of driving

Foundations and applications of human-machine-interaction

Der vorliegende Tagungsband zur 10. Berliner Werkstatt Mensch-Maschine-Systeme gibt einen Einblick in die aktuelle Forschung im Bereich der Mensch-Maschine- Interaktion. Einen besonderen Fokus stellt das Wechselspiel von Grundlagenforschung und anwendungsbezogener Forschung dar, was sich im breiten Themenspektrum widerspiegelt, welches von theoretischen und methodischen Betrachtungen bis hin zu anwendungsnahen Fragestellungen reicht. Dabei finden Inhalte aus allen Phasen des Forschungsprozesses Beachtung, sodass auch im Rahmen der 10. Berliner Werkstatt MMS wieder sowohl neue Untersuchungskonzepte als auch abschließende Befunde diskutiert werden. Zentrale Themengebiete sind u. a. Fahrer-Fahrzeug-Interaktion, Assistenzsysteme, User Experience, Usability, Ubiquitous Computing, Mixed & Virtual Reality, Robotics & Automation, Wahrnehmungsspezifika sowie Psychophysiologie und Beanspruchung in der Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion.The proceedings of the 10th Berlin Workshop Human-Machine-Systems provide an insight into the current research in the field of human-machine-interaction. The main focus lies on the interplay between basic and applied research, which is reflected in the wide range of subjects: from theoretical and methodological issues to application oriented considerations. Again all stages of the research process are represented in the contributions of the 10th Berlin Workshop HMS. This means new research concepts as well as final results are subject of this volume. Central topics include driver-vehicleinteraction, assistance systems, user experience, usability, ubiquitous computing, mixed and virtual reality, robotics & automation, perception specifics, as well as psychophysiology and workload in human-machine-interaction

The Playful Citizen

This edited volume collects current research by academics and practitioners on playful citizen participation through digital media technologies