Driving is a complex multi-factorial task that taps underlying mechanismsof cognition and attention. Not surprisingly, therefore, many tests of cognition and attention are significantly associated with driving outcomes. In this article, we introduce driving researchers and clinicians with an interest in driving to the Attention Network Test (ANT), which to our knowledge has not previously been used in driving research. It is a recently developed test that is based on a neural network model of the human attention system. It combines elements of Posners cuing paradigm [Posner, M.I., 1980. Orienting of attention. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 32, 325.] with the Eriksen & Eriksen flanker task [Eriksen, B.A., Eriksen, C.W., 1974. Effects of noise letters upon the identification of a targetletter in a nonsearch task. Perception & Psychophysics 16, 143149.], andprovides measures of three distinct functions of attention: alerting, orienting, and executive function. Our results demonstrate that the ANT has very good concurrent validity with the Useful Field of View (UFOV), and that it is comparable to UFOV in its ability to predict road test scores for a simulated drive. These findings suggest that further investigation of the usefulness of the ANT as a tool for driving researchers and clinicians is merited. (A) Reprinted with permission from Elsevier.
Samenvatting