Phonological and visual working memory in processing of route guidance information

  • Authors:

  • Patricia L. Trbovich

  • Affiliations:

  • Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada

  • Venue:
  • CHI '05 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
  • Year:
  • 2005

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Abstract

The goal of my proposed thesis is to examine the role of working memory in processing route guidance information while driving. I will also assess how changes in the presentation and processing of route guidance and secondary task information influences the primary task of vehicle control. Results will be analyzed in terms of whether a change of route navigation presentation from visual to auditory will change the memory resources used to process the information. Furthermore, analyses will be done to assess whether changes in the processing of route navigation and secondary task information affect driving performance. To examine what working memory subsystems (i.e., phonological, visual, spatial, central executive) are used to process visual versus auditory route guidance information, the present research will require participants to drive a driving simulator while performing a route navigation task and a secondary working memory task. Performance of these secondary tasks will permit us to assess demands of route navigation tasks upon the various working memory subsystems. Accordingly, participants will retain a memory load while performing the route navigation tasks. This research is expected to raise significant HCI implications for the design of safer interfaces for vehicles and provide much needed detail about how specific mental codes and processes are involved in processing route navigation information.