Luke's Research Summary 2

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Luke Hachmeister
Research Summary #2
PSY 334, Cognitive Psychology
April 6th, 2008

Flashing Lights Impact on Cognitive Performance

Cognitive performance is both significantly impaired and improved by the presence of flashing lights. Flashing lights impair cognitive performance by taking attention away from the task at hand. It is very difficult to ignore a flashing light, and a subject’s attention will continue to wander back to it as long as it is present. Cognitive performance can also be dramatically improved if the task is involved with the flashing light. Because a subject will focus on a flashing light, they serve as good warning devices and can bring alertness level up. Unfortunately warning lights can become dangers in of themselves by taking attention away from what they are designed to warn against.

Article 4
Technology driving motorists to distraction, Newsvine
http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2008/03/31/1401508-technology-driving-motorists-to-distraction

Vehicles of the future will come armed with many safety and navigation devices. These devices cumulative effect may actually impair performance due to the dependence on them and distractions they may cause performing their function. Flashing lights may serve as a warning device, but the subject may or may not know how to interpret the flashing, and the flashing itself could be a distraction.

Article 5
Analysis of the Human Factors Contributing to Grade Crossing Accidents – Project summary (TP 14003), Transport Canada
http://www.tc.gc.ca/tdc/summary/14000/14003.htm

Accidents involving rail road crossings often have human error as a primary component. Among the findings was a common problem of misinterpreting or being distracted by active warning systems such as flashing lights. Conversely, the addition of flashing lights was shown to have a substantial reduction in the number of accidents for any given intersection.

Article 6
Police Vehicles and Lights, Police Driving
http://www.policedriving.com/article145.htm

The addition of flashing lights to emergency vehicles has dramatically increased their visibility. However, the number and intensity of these lights may be to the point where they are causing accidents rather than preventing them. Drivers are distracted by large numbers of high intensity flashing lights, and in some cases can be more likely to hit a vehicle with these devices.