The effect of cognitive distractions from mobile phones on different reaction times in varied age groups of drivers
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
10th Grade
Presentation Topic
Psychology and Sociology
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
Recent correlations between the amount of car crashes in a year and the use of technology have been analyzed to see if the increased use of technology leads to an increase in car crashes. This research aimed to evaluate the differences in reaction times of drivers in varied age groups to test if there were a difference in the type of cognitive distraction being applied to the driver and their concluding reaction time. This research also distinguished which age group of drivers is the most efficient in multitasking. Four groups of nine participants were gathered to represent the age groups 15-18, 19-26, 27-38, and 39-48. Tests were conducted to record the reaction time of the participant after performing the test with distractions of a Twitter media feed, texting out a sentence, speaking on the phone with the cellular device up to the ear, and speaking on the phone with the cellular device on speaker. It was hypothesized that the age group of 19-26 year olds would be more effective and that texting out a sentence would be the most detrimental distraction to the concluding reaction times compared to the other cognitive distractions. Data supported the hypothesis in that the 19-26 age group was the most successful in multitasking with the distractions. Also, data showed that the texting out a sentence was supported as the most detrimental distraction, (F(3,32)=2.49, p=0.078) . The reaction times were statistically analyzed for each distraction with a one way ANOVA at the alpha=0.05 level.
Recommended Citation
Lynch, Madison K., "The effect of cognitive distractions from mobile phones on different reaction times in varied age groups of drivers" (2015). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 212.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2015/all/212
Start Date
4-11-2015 11:45 AM
End Date
4-11-2015 12:00 PM
The effect of cognitive distractions from mobile phones on different reaction times in varied age groups of drivers
Recent correlations between the amount of car crashes in a year and the use of technology have been analyzed to see if the increased use of technology leads to an increase in car crashes. This research aimed to evaluate the differences in reaction times of drivers in varied age groups to test if there were a difference in the type of cognitive distraction being applied to the driver and their concluding reaction time. This research also distinguished which age group of drivers is the most efficient in multitasking. Four groups of nine participants were gathered to represent the age groups 15-18, 19-26, 27-38, and 39-48. Tests were conducted to record the reaction time of the participant after performing the test with distractions of a Twitter media feed, texting out a sentence, speaking on the phone with the cellular device up to the ear, and speaking on the phone with the cellular device on speaker. It was hypothesized that the age group of 19-26 year olds would be more effective and that texting out a sentence would be the most detrimental distraction to the concluding reaction times compared to the other cognitive distractions. Data supported the hypothesis in that the 19-26 age group was the most successful in multitasking with the distractions. Also, data showed that the texting out a sentence was supported as the most detrimental distraction, (F(3,32)=2.49, p=0.078) . The reaction times were statistically analyzed for each distraction with a one way ANOVA at the alpha=0.05 level.
