The Role of Perceptual and Cognitive Filters in Observed Behavior

Abstract

Initially the development of man’s position in road transport is described and analyzed. It is shown that the large changes have to do with the lack of feedback, new situations from physiological point of view and especially the higher speeds.

The part played by human and technical errors in road accidents is discussed. It is found that most investigations attribute a dominating part to human errors. Although this is believed to be more of an artifact than a true description the results can be used for further analysis. Such an analysis shows that the two most frequent human errors are inadequate human information acquisition and information processing.

A simple descriptive model of the driver in traffic is presented. It is suggested that man’s inherited limitations and lack of appropriate experience result in systematic errors in information acquisition and processing. Two inserted constructs

• • a perceptual filter

• • a cognitive filter

are used to describe road user errors and to generate hypotheses and suggestions of how to meet and overcome some inadequate road user behavior. Special high risk situations (night traffic, peripheral detection, speed) and special high risk groups (inexperienced young drivers), are used to illustrate the ideas in the descriptive model