Citation

Caird JK, Edwards CJ, Creaser JI, Horrey WJ. Hum. Factors 2005; 47(2): 235-249.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. N.W., Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada. jkcaird@ucalgary.ca

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16170936

Abstract

A modified version of the flicker technique to induce change blindness was used to examine the effects of time constraints on decision-making accuracy at intersections on a total of 62 young (18-25 years), middle-aged (26-64 years), young-old (65-73 years), and old-old (74+ years) drivers. Thirty-six intersection photographs were manipulated so that one object (i.e., pedestrian, vehicle, sign, or traffic control device) in the scene would change when the images were alternated for either 5 or 8 s using the modified flicker method. Young and middle-aged drivers made significantly more correct decisions than did young-old and old-old drivers. Logistic regression analysis of the data indicated that age and/or time were significant predictors of decision performance in 14 of the 36 intersections. Actual or potential applications of this research include driving assessment and crash investigation.