Questions for Guided Article Review
Article you’re reviewing:
Please answer the following questions (type your response directly below each question):
What was the primary hypothesis of the study?
The primary hypothesis of the study is related to the idea a driver is distracted while holding a conversation on a cell phone, but a conversation with a passenger not only improves driver performance it creates a sense of shared situational awareness. This is an acceptable hypothesis, because in the past people were able to hold conversations in cars without a tremendous number of accidents associated with distracted driving. Yet, in the modern world, the prevalence of cell phone use has dramatically increased the likelihood of distracted driver caused collisions.
What was the independent variable (or predictor variable) used in the study (note: there could be multiple IVs)?
The independent variables were those drivers using a cell phone, speaking with a passenger, and distraction free drivers. Each of these variables were measured based on the way the driver was able to deal with the demands of traffic. This was defined as driving errors.
What was the dependent variable used in the study (note: there could be multiple DVs)?
One of the dependent variables for this experiment was the topic of each of the conversations surrounding a past event where the individual’s lives were threatened. This focused on the idea people are even more distracted when the topic of conversation is not happy. This variable defined the state-of-mind of each of the drivers.
What were the primary results from the study?
The primary results were those drivers speaking on a cell phone had the highest instance of driver errors. This was believed because the topic of conversation with passengers was related to the demands of traffic and resulted in shared situational awareness. This allowed for the extra set of eyes to assist in driver performance.
Were the hypotheses supported (yes or no)?
These results supported the hypothesis, because when the awareness was shared because if the driver happened to become distracted, it was common for the passenger to alert the driver to any obstacles ahead. This is because the passengers in the car are not viewed as distractions, compared to conversations on a cell phone. Additionally, the distracted free driver was still able to make mistakes.
What were the conclusions from the study?
In conclusion, driving with a passenger improves driver performance. This could be due to the fact people drive better when there is a witness to their actions. Additionally, some people drive safer with a passenger because they are concerned about their passengers’ overall well-being.
Once you have completed your review, you should submit it via Blackboard for grading. All guided article reviews will be graded on a pass/fail basis, and all reviews that receive a passing grade will be awarded 1 CRM credit (equivalent to 1% of your final grade in the course).
