WkS+paper+6

This page is for Susan, Bec & Russell

Hi Susan and Bec,

I have intermittent internet access so wanted to get the ball rolling while I do have access. I found this article on the effect mobile phones (hands free) have on people driving compared to having a talkative passenger in the car:

[|ABC Science Article - Mobiles and Driving]

I've checked through the journal article that the news article refers to, it's peer-reviewed and the results are easy to interpret which will help with the final paper. I think it's an increasingly important issue in today's world as I personally know people who think that sending an email on their Blackberry while driving is no problem! It's a bit random and I'm happy to consider any other options you might suggest.

Thanks guys,

Russell

Hi Russell,

I'm happy to do this article, and I agree that it is an important topic in today's multitasking world! Should we organise a time to catch up on MSN or something - or should we all do a quick report each and then take the best bits of each to submit?

My email address for MSN is bec.richards@hotmail.com, or uni one is rdric2@student.monash.edu.au.

Thanks! Bec

ML: you can exchange emails or MSN, but it may cause problems because I can't see your work. I need to see that everyone one has made a substantial contribution to this task. I will email Susan. If you don't hear from her in a day or so you should consider proceeding without her.

Hi Bec,

Apologies for not responding sooner - I didn't have access to the net for a few days. That's great you're happy to go with the article - as the workshop paper is only 250 words or so I'd be happy to go with your suggestion - both of us knock up a rough draft then take best bits of each. I'll post mine on here in the next few days.

Cheers! Russell

ML: If you take the next few days to get into gear you will be late - its due 10 am 6th May (tomorrow).

Hi Bec,

You must be in the same boat as me and be snowed under with assignments! I've written the following report on our articles so please comment if you get a chance. As we're already extremely late for our submission if you don't get a chance to make any changes or add comments then I'll post it on Blackboard tomorrow (Monday) morning.

Drews, FA, Pasupathi, M & Strayer, DL 2008 Passenger and cell phone conversations in simulated driving. //Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied 14:// 392 – 400 A study by Professor Lee Strayer and colleagues of the University of Utah was conducted in relation to the effect that having a conversation with a passenger in the car has on driving compared to the effect of talking on a mobile phone. This topic is becoming more and more relevant to everyday life as technology advances, society seemingly becomes ‘busier’ and the amount of traffic on the road increases. A news article was written by ABC/Reuters called [|Mobiles distract more than passengers (ABC News in Science)] that was based on the study of Strayer (2008). I don’t think the science has been ‘dumbed down’ per say but the article generalises the results a lot whilst only briefly touching on the details of the tests performed and methods used on volunteers. The research is presented unbiased although there is a general conception in society that talking on a mobile phone is distracting to a driver so the article doesn’t attempt to challenge so called common knowledge. I don’t believe that the title is particularly catchy or memorable and the one small picture is relevant to the topic but not eye-catching or interest-raising. One of the more interesting conclusions was that when talking to a passenger whilst driving the passenger acts as a second set of eyes when making manoeuvres or foreseeing hazards and that the passenger tends to simplify the conversation when the conditions worsen whereas a phone-conversation would not be simplified. The author does a good job of presenting these conclusions as well as referencing some of the findings related to mobile phone use while driving in previous studies but I would have liked to have been presented with a little more about the actual tests themselves and the simulator used.

Cheers,

Russell