Predicting real-world attention with physiology

It is estimated that the average person spends up to 50% of their waking hours thinking about things other than what they are presently doing (i.e., mind wandering). This internal form of distraction along with its external counterpart (i.e., external distraction) are associated with performance deficits during everyday activities, such as reading or driving. Moreover, individuals are often unaware that their mind has wandered, which can lead to absentminded errors. Depending on the context, the consequences of distraction can range from reduced productivity to injury or even death. Thus, the economic and human costs associated with distraction represent an enormous burden for Canadians. The proposed research project seeks to identify the physiological signature of distraction in its endogenous and exogenous forms by measuring subjective, behavioural, and physiological changes linked to attention during everyday tasks (e.g., driving simulation, reading). TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Amir Raz

Student:

Jay Olson

Partner:

9617094 Canada Inc

Discipline:

Psychology

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

Program: