University of Groningen
Information along familiar routes
Harms, Ilse
DOI:
10.33612/diss.151948918
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Publication date: 2021
Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database
Citation for published version (APA):
Harms, I. (2021). Information along familiar routes: on what we perceive and how this affects our behaviour. University of Groningen. https://doi.org/10.33612/diss.151948918
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Information along familiar routes
On what we perceive
For my loved ones.
ISBN 978-94-034-2534-4 (printed version) ISBN 978-94-034-2533-7 (electronic version)
Cover & illustrations Van Betuw Grafisch Ontwerp, Renkum Photo cover Ilse Harms
Layout & print GVO drukkers & vormgevers, Ede
Dit proefschrift is mede tot stand gekomen door de samenwerking van Rijkswaterstaat, programma Connecting Mobility en het Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat met de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.
© 2020, Ilse Harms, Utrecht, The Netherlands
All rights reserved. No part of this thesis may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the author.
Information along
familiar routes
On what we perceive
and how this affects our behaviour
Proefschrift
ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
op gezag van de
rector magnificus prof. dr. C. Wijmenga en volgens besluit van het College voor Promoties.
De openbare verdediging zal plaatsvinden op donderdag 23 september 2021 om 14:30 uur
door
Ilse Mariska Harms geboren op 23 april 1981
Promotores
Prof. dr. D. de Waard Prof. dr. K.A. Brookhuis Beoordelingscommissie Prof. dr. D. Crundall Prof. dr. M.H. Martens Prof. dr. D.H. van Rijn
Table of contents
Chapter 1 . The problem
1.1
Introduction...11
1.2
Information in the traffic environment...13
1.2.1 Informational overload and uncertainty: a road authority’s perspective...14
1.2.2 Informational overload and uncertainty: a road user’s perspective...15
1.2.3 The ever-changing traffic environment...17
1.2.4 Thesis outline...18
Chapter 2 . Systematic literature review
2.1 Introduction...23
2.1.1 The prevalence of travelling along familiar routes ...23
2.1.2 Effects of routine activities and familiar task contexts on cognitive processing...24
2.1.3 Rationale for this review and our twofold objective...25
2.2
Methodology and research protocol...26
2.2.1 Research design...26
2.2.2 Search strategy...27
2.2.3 Study selection and eligibility criteria...27
2.2.4 Selected aspects of paper characteristics, cognition and subsequent behaviour in traffic...27
2.2.5 Data analysis method...29
2.3
Results...30
2.3.1 Selected studies and their characteristics...30
2.3.2 How route familiarity is studied...32
2.3.3 Effects on cognition...34
2.3.4 Effects on behavioural performance...40
2.3.5 Amount of repetition required for effects on cognition and behavioural performance...42
2.4
Conclusion and discussion...46
2.4.1 How familiarity affects human beings and how this is acknowledged by researchers...46
2.4.2 Defining route familiarity with respect to cognition and exposure...48
2.4.3 Limitations of this review...49
2.4.4 How to proceed within transport psychology...49
2.6
Appendix I. Overview of study characteristics...51
2.7
Appendix II. Study descriptions for each subcategory,
per main category...54
2.7.1 Awareness and attention ...54
2.7.2 Memory...57
2.7.3 Judgement...59
2.7.4 Mental state...62
2.7.5 Effects on behavioural performance...63
2.8
Appendix III. Study protocol...67
2.8.1 Objective...67
2.8.2 Search strategy...67
2.8.3 Study selection and eligibility criteria...68
2.8.4 Selected aspects of paper characteristics, cognition and subsequent behaviour in traffic...69
Chapter 3 . Dynamic traffic management on a familiar road:
failing to detect changes in variable speed limits
3.1
Introduction...73
3.1.1 Route familiarity...73
3.1.2 Change blindness...74
3.2
Method
...75
3.2.1 Experimental design...75
3.2.2 Participants and procedure...75
3.2.3 Materials...76
3.2.4 Measures...78
3.2.5 Data analysis method...79
3.3
Results...79
3.3.1 Detection of the changed speed limit...79
3.3.2 Habituation: driver speed...82
3.3.3 Meaningfulness of speed limits...83
3.3.4 Expectations...83
3.3.5 Alertness: verbal reports and truck detection task ...83
3.4
Conclusion and discussion...84
3.5
Acknowledgements...86
3.6
Appendix. Additional results not described
in the published article...87
Chapter 4 . Traffic management: assessing various
countermeasures to improve detection failure of changes in speed
limit signals
4.1
Introduction...93
4.2
Theoretical framework...94
4.3
Method...95
4.3.1 Experimental design...95
4.3.2 Participants and procedure...97
4.3.3 Materials...99
4.3.4 Measures...100
4.3.5 Data analysis method...101
4.4
Results...101
4.4.1 Detection accuracy...101
4.4.2 Reaction time...102
4.4.3 Speed limit recollection...104
4.4.4 Expectancy...105
4.5
Discussion...106
4.6
Conclusion...107
4.7
Acknowledgements...107
Chapter 5 . Don’t shoot the messenger:
traffic-irrelevant messages on variable message signs (VMSs)
might not interfere with traffic management
5.1
Introduction...111
5.1.1 Traffic safety: avoiding distraction by advertisements...111
5.1.2 Traffic flow: reduced attention for traffic signs...113
5.2
Method...115
5.2.1 Experimental design...115
5.2.2 Participants and procedure...116
5.2.3 Materials...117
5.2.4 Measures...117
5.2.5 Data analysis method...119
5.3
Results...119
5.3.1 Compliance: taking the correct exit...119
5.3.2 Recall and recognition...120
5.3.3 Expectations...121
5.3.4 Compensatory speed behaviour...121
5.3.5 Habituation...124
5.4
Conclusion and discussion...125
Chapter 6 . Walking without awareness
6.1
Introduction...131
6.2
Method...
133 6.2.1 Experimental design...133 6.2.2 Materials...134 6.2.3 Procedure...135 6.2.4 Measures...136 6.2.5 Participants...1376.2.6 Data analysis method...138
6.3
Results...140
6.3.1 Awareness of the signboard...140
6.3.2 Overt secondary task engagement...141
6.3.3 Mind wandering...144
6.3.4 Route familiarity...145
6.4
Conclusion and discussion...147
6.5
Acknowledgements...150
6.6
Appendix. Additional results not described in
the published article...151
Chapter 7 . Discussion and conclusions
7.1
Studying behaviour in the everyday context...155
7.1.1 The relation between exposure and route familiarity...155
7.1.2 The effects of route familiarity on cognition...156
7.1.3 Route familiarity and modalities of transport...157
7.2
Skilled behaviour and the ability to act without
awareness...158
7.2.1 Skill-based behaviour: automaticity in visual information processing...158
7.2.2 Disengagement: monitoring rather than attending...158
7.3
Visual information processing: errors and interests...160
7.3.1 Perceptual errors while participating in traffic...160
7.3.2 What raises the traffic participant’s interest...162
7.4
Research methodology: cognitive and behavioural
measures...164
7.4.1 Cognitive measures for visual information processing...164
7.4.2 Behavioural measures for visual information processing...165
