Distracted Driver: Do Distractions Affect Driving Video Game Scores?

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Abstract Have you ever tried rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time? What about doing your homework or studying for your math test while watching television? It is tough to focus on a task when you are distracted doing something else, isn't it? In my project, I have investigated how distractions affect your focus on a task, such as driving, by looking at how gaming scores are affected as you're talking on a cell phone or having a conversation with a friend. 1. Set up driving game for single-player play. 2. Allow your gamers to become familiar with the game and particular driving course prior to doing the experiment so that they can drive the course on their own without asking questions during the experiment. 3. Once all of the gamers feel comfortable with the game, start the experiment. Have the first gamer drive the course with no distractions. No one should speak to the gamer while he or she is playing. 4. Bring the first gamer back and have him or her drive the course again. But first, have the active gamer use one cell phone to call the other cell phone, held by another volunteer gamer in another room. 5. Have the gamer drive the course for a third time. This time, without the cell phone, but while having a challenging conversation with another volunteer gamer, who is in the room, while he or she drives. The gamer needs to be involved with the conversation, but should drive with both hands 6. Repeat steps 3-5 two more times with the first gamer. Always record your data in your lab notebook. The gamer should have driven the same course nine times by the end. 7. Repeat steps 3-6 with each additional volunteer gamer. Record all of the results in your lab notebook. In

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