Video Gamer Advantages in a Cellular Telephone and Driving Task

Abstract

Driving while speaking on a cellular telephone is one of today's most controversial and risky dual task situations. Proficient video game players possess superior divided attention ability and were hypothesized to display superior driving performance compared to non-gamers when engaged in these dual tasks. 115 university students were tested following characterization of their video game proficiency. The driving task, was performed using Drivesim 4.00 software, and was presented by itself as well as in combination with a series of verbal tasks simulating a telephone conversation (the dual task situation). The verbal tasks were also tested apart from the simulated driving. Each participant was thus his/her own control so that the effect of driving or performing verbal tasks could be examined separately and in combination with each other. Compared to non-gamers, proficient video game players had fewer crashes and drove more safely in the dual task conditions.