Emotional Responses to Trouble Events on a Train-Driving Simulator

Abstract

We explored emotion and error in encounters with trouble events on a railway-driving simulator. Forty train drivers participated in this experiment, carrying out four simulations including a total of 12 trouble situations (three “troubles” in each course). We measured emotional responses and actions taken for those troubles. It was shown that emotions evoked by trouble encounters could be described by three factors and classified into four groups based on factor scores. Furthermore, the error rate of the fourth group, in which emotion was evoked strongly, was higher than in the other groups. These results suggest that in critical situations, emotion is strongly evoked and increases the chance of error.

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