Rob Gray
Rob Gray’s work illuminates the dynamics of perception, cognition, and action in skilled performance. His work has the admirable quality of advancing perception-action theory while directly relating to applied problems. He brings real-world activities into the laboratory, where he rigorously investigates fundamental issues related to performance (American Psychological Association, 2007)
Twitter: @ShakeyWaits
Twitter: @ShakeyWaits
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patterns and to compare dynamic towards-torso and towards-head vibrotactile warnings in a simulated driving task. The
results revealed that embedding additional stimuli between the participant’s hands and waist in the towards-torso cues
(Experiment 1) and increasing the spatial distance between adjacent stimuli in the towards-head cues (Experiment 2) did not
result in any further benefits in braking response times (BRTs). The triple towards-head cues resulting from the sequential
operation of three pairs of stimuli on the torso gave rise to a significant advantage over the static cues; however, it did not
outperform the dynamic towards-torso cues with just two pairs of stimuli. Taken together, these results demonstrated the
promise of dynamic vibrotactile warnings (especially, the towards-torso warnings) in terms of the future design of more
effective rear-end collision warnings.
to assess the effectiveness of dynamic vibrotactile collisionwarning
signals in potentially enhancing safe driving.
Background: Auditory neuroscience research has
demonstrated that auditory signals that move toward a
person are more salient than those that move away. If this
looming effect were found to extend to the tactile modality,
then it could be utilized in the context of in-car warning
signal design.
Method: The effectiveness of various vibrotactile
warning signals was assessed using a simulated carfollowing
task. The vibrotactile warning signals consisted
of dynamic toward-/away-from-torso cues (Experiment
1), dynamic versus static vibrotactile cues (Experiment 2),
looming-intensity- and constant-intensity-toward-torso
cues (Experiment 3), and static cues presented on the
hands or on the waist, having either a low or high vibration
intensity (Experiment 4).
Results: Braking reaction times (BRTs) were significantly
faster for toward-torso as compared to away-from-torso
cues (Experiments 1 and 2) and static cues (Experiment 2).
This difference could not have been attributed to differential
responses to signals delivered to different body parts (i.e.,
the waist vs. hands; Experiment 4). Embedding a loomingintensity
signal into the toward-torso signal did not result in
any additional BRT benefits (Experiment 3).
Conclusion: Dynamic vibrotactile cues that feel as
though they are approaching the torso can be used to
communicate information concerning external events,
resulting in a significantly faster reaction time to potential
collisions.
Application
report the target to be bigger than those who hit less successfully. While initial
evidence seemed to support the recent contention that the variability in performance
(rather than the amount of successful hits) may scale reported target size, here we provide
counterevidence for this hypothesis. We systematically manipulated performance
outcomes in a shuffling task by means of magnetic fields. Participants were asked to slide
a disk on a wooden board towards a circular target. Using a within-subjects design, in two
conditions throw outcomes were manipulated to produce either high or low variability in
performance outcome, while the mean success of performance (i.e., the mean error)
remained constant across conditions. Despite the successful manipulations of high and
low variability in the performance outcomes, results revealed that size estimates of the
target remained stable.
studies of spatial attention.We highlight a number of ways in which
such studies fail to capture the key factors/constraints that have been shown
to give rise to an increased risk of vehicular accident in real-world situations.
In particular, limitations that are related to the design of the attentional
capture task itself and limitations that are concern the demographic
and current state of the participants tested in these laboratory studies are
discussed. A list of recommendations are made concerning those areas in
which laboratory-based spatial attention research could focus on in the
future in order to make sure that their results are more relevant to those
working in an applied setting, and thus, enhance translational research.
The present study examined how anxiety may influence gaze behavior during the performance of simulated
landings. Participants undertook simulated landings in low visibility conditions which required the
use of cockpit instruments in order to obtain guidance information. Landings were performed in either
anxiety or control conditions, with anxiety being manipulated using a combination of ego-threatening
instructions and monetary incentives. Results showed an increase in percentage dwell time toward the
outside world in the anxiety conditions. Visual scanning entropy, which is the predictability of visual scanning
behavior, showed an increase in the randomness of scanning behavior when anxious. Furthermore,
change in scanning randomness from the pre-test to anxiety conditions positively correlated with both
the change in cognitive anxiety and change in performance error. These results support the viewpoint
that anxiety can negatively affect attentional control.
a practical level to improve skill acquisition and evaluate training programs in sport.
increases over time) have proven to be particularly effective in terms of reducing a driver’s brake reaction times (BRTs) to impending collisions, and are also associated with very low false alarm rates. We report two experiments designed to further investigate how the presentation of looming auditory warnings with increasing frequency or increasing spatial extent would compare to those with increasing intensity. A third experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the potential efficacy of presenting looming warnings to drivers in another modality, namely via vibrotactile signals. Participants’ speeded BRTs to potential collision events following the presentation of various warning signals in a simulated car following scenario were measured. While both looming frequency and spatial warnings were effective in terms of speeding the driver’s responses to critical driving events, the magnitude of the benefit resembled that of a typical nonlooming constant intensity warning. Looming intensity warnings outperformed their looming frequency counterparts in terms of facilitating drivers’ collision avoidance responses. As for vibrotactile warnings, the results revealed that looming vibrotactile stimuli did not offer any additional benefits over and above the other non-looming vibrations tested in the study. The implications of these findings for collision warning systems design are discussed."
significantly larger effects of both preparation techniques. The effects of experience and preparation technique also varied significantly with task difficulty. These effects were significantly
mediated by changes in batting kinematics. Imagery and action observation can improve hitting ability with the optimal method depending on skill-level and task difficulty.
patterns and to compare dynamic towards-torso and towards-head vibrotactile warnings in a simulated driving task. The
results revealed that embedding additional stimuli between the participant’s hands and waist in the towards-torso cues
(Experiment 1) and increasing the spatial distance between adjacent stimuli in the towards-head cues (Experiment 2) did not
result in any further benefits in braking response times (BRTs). The triple towards-head cues resulting from the sequential
operation of three pairs of stimuli on the torso gave rise to a significant advantage over the static cues; however, it did not
outperform the dynamic towards-torso cues with just two pairs of stimuli. Taken together, these results demonstrated the
promise of dynamic vibrotactile warnings (especially, the towards-torso warnings) in terms of the future design of more
effective rear-end collision warnings.
to assess the effectiveness of dynamic vibrotactile collisionwarning
signals in potentially enhancing safe driving.
Background: Auditory neuroscience research has
demonstrated that auditory signals that move toward a
person are more salient than those that move away. If this
looming effect were found to extend to the tactile modality,
then it could be utilized in the context of in-car warning
signal design.
Method: The effectiveness of various vibrotactile
warning signals was assessed using a simulated carfollowing
task. The vibrotactile warning signals consisted
of dynamic toward-/away-from-torso cues (Experiment
1), dynamic versus static vibrotactile cues (Experiment 2),
looming-intensity- and constant-intensity-toward-torso
cues (Experiment 3), and static cues presented on the
hands or on the waist, having either a low or high vibration
intensity (Experiment 4).
Results: Braking reaction times (BRTs) were significantly
faster for toward-torso as compared to away-from-torso
cues (Experiments 1 and 2) and static cues (Experiment 2).
This difference could not have been attributed to differential
responses to signals delivered to different body parts (i.e.,
the waist vs. hands; Experiment 4). Embedding a loomingintensity
signal into the toward-torso signal did not result in
any additional BRT benefits (Experiment 3).
Conclusion: Dynamic vibrotactile cues that feel as
though they are approaching the torso can be used to
communicate information concerning external events,
resulting in a significantly faster reaction time to potential
collisions.
Application
report the target to be bigger than those who hit less successfully. While initial
evidence seemed to support the recent contention that the variability in performance
(rather than the amount of successful hits) may scale reported target size, here we provide
counterevidence for this hypothesis. We systematically manipulated performance
outcomes in a shuffling task by means of magnetic fields. Participants were asked to slide
a disk on a wooden board towards a circular target. Using a within-subjects design, in two
conditions throw outcomes were manipulated to produce either high or low variability in
performance outcome, while the mean success of performance (i.e., the mean error)
remained constant across conditions. Despite the successful manipulations of high and
low variability in the performance outcomes, results revealed that size estimates of the
target remained stable.
studies of spatial attention.We highlight a number of ways in which
such studies fail to capture the key factors/constraints that have been shown
to give rise to an increased risk of vehicular accident in real-world situations.
In particular, limitations that are related to the design of the attentional
capture task itself and limitations that are concern the demographic
and current state of the participants tested in these laboratory studies are
discussed. A list of recommendations are made concerning those areas in
which laboratory-based spatial attention research could focus on in the
future in order to make sure that their results are more relevant to those
working in an applied setting, and thus, enhance translational research.
The present study examined how anxiety may influence gaze behavior during the performance of simulated
landings. Participants undertook simulated landings in low visibility conditions which required the
use of cockpit instruments in order to obtain guidance information. Landings were performed in either
anxiety or control conditions, with anxiety being manipulated using a combination of ego-threatening
instructions and monetary incentives. Results showed an increase in percentage dwell time toward the
outside world in the anxiety conditions. Visual scanning entropy, which is the predictability of visual scanning
behavior, showed an increase in the randomness of scanning behavior when anxious. Furthermore,
change in scanning randomness from the pre-test to anxiety conditions positively correlated with both
the change in cognitive anxiety and change in performance error. These results support the viewpoint
that anxiety can negatively affect attentional control.
a practical level to improve skill acquisition and evaluate training programs in sport.
increases over time) have proven to be particularly effective in terms of reducing a driver’s brake reaction times (BRTs) to impending collisions, and are also associated with very low false alarm rates. We report two experiments designed to further investigate how the presentation of looming auditory warnings with increasing frequency or increasing spatial extent would compare to those with increasing intensity. A third experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the potential efficacy of presenting looming warnings to drivers in another modality, namely via vibrotactile signals. Participants’ speeded BRTs to potential collision events following the presentation of various warning signals in a simulated car following scenario were measured. While both looming frequency and spatial warnings were effective in terms of speeding the driver’s responses to critical driving events, the magnitude of the benefit resembled that of a typical nonlooming constant intensity warning. Looming intensity warnings outperformed their looming frequency counterparts in terms of facilitating drivers’ collision avoidance responses. As for vibrotactile warnings, the results revealed that looming vibrotactile stimuli did not offer any additional benefits over and above the other non-looming vibrations tested in the study. The implications of these findings for collision warning systems design are discussed."
significantly larger effects of both preparation techniques. The effects of experience and preparation technique also varied significantly with task difficulty. These effects were significantly
mediated by changes in batting kinematics. Imagery and action observation can improve hitting ability with the optimal method depending on skill-level and task difficulty.