Optic Flow and Tunnel Vision in the Detection Response Task

Objective:In a driving simulator, a backwards counting task, a simple steering task, and a fully autonomous driving task were applied to study the independent effects of cognitive load, visual-cognitive-manual load, and optic flow on visual detection response task (vDRT) performance. The study was designed to increase the understanding of the processes underlying vDRT effects.Background:The tunnel vision effect induced by a “steering while driving” task found in a previous study was investigated further in this experiment.Method:Stimulus eccentricity and conspicuity were applied as within-subjects factors.Results:Cognitive load, visual-cognitive-manual load, and optic flow all resulted in increased vDRT response time (RT). Cognitive load and visual-cognitive-manual load both increased RT but revealed no interaction of task by stimulus eccentricity. However, optic flow resulted in a task by stimulus eccentricity interaction on vDRT RT that was evidence of a tunnel vision effect.Conclusion:The results suggested that optic flow may be a factor responsible for tunnel vision while driving, although this does not support the tunnel vision model because it is unrelated to workload. However, the results supported the general interference model for cognitive workload.Application:The results have implications for the diagnosticity of the vDRT. During driving tasks, tunnel vision effects may occur as a result of optic flow, and these effects are unrelated to workload.

The Effects of Cognitive and Visual Workload on Peripheral Detection in the Detection Response Task

Objective: The independent effects of cognitive and visual load on visual Detection Response Task (vDRT) reaction times were studied in a driving simulator by performing a backwards counting task and a simple driving task that required continuous focused visual attention to the forward view of the road. The study aimed to unravel the attentional processes underlying the Detection Response Task effects. Background: The claim of previous studies that performance degradation on the vDRT is due to a general interference instead of visual tunneling was challenged in this experiment. Method: vDRT stimulus eccentricity and stimulus conspicuity were applied as within-subject factors. Results: Increased cognitive load and visual load both resulted in increased response times (RTs) on the vDRT. Cognitive load increased RT but revealed no task by stimulus eccentricity interaction. However, effects of visual load on RT showed a strong task by stimulus eccentricity interaction under conditions of low stimulus conspicuity. Also, more experienced drivers performed better on the vDRT while driving. Conclusion: This was seen as evidence for a differential effect of cognitive and visual workload. The results supported the tunnel vision model for visual workload, where the sensitivity of the peripheral visual field reduced as a function of visual load. However, the results supported the general interference model for cognitive workload. Application: This has implications for the diagnosticity of the vDRT: The pattern of results differentiated between visual task load and cognitive task load. It also has implications for theory development and workload measurement for different types of tasks.

Effects of Stimulus Eccentricity on the Perception of Visually Induced Self-motion Facilitated by Simulated Viewpoint Jitter

The present investigation aimed to examine the effects of stimulus eccentricity in the facilitation of vection by a jittering visual inducer. A psychophysical experiment revealed that the central region of the visual field is more critical in facilitation by perspective viewpoint jitter than the peripheral area. The results suggest that the perceptual mechanism underlying the facilitation by jitter may be different from that responsible for generating standard vection from non-jittering visual motion, because the effects of stimulus eccentricity were quite different in these two situations.