title: Texting while driving, executive function, and impulsivity in college students.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the cognitive processes underlying texting while driving. A sample of 120 college students completed a survey to assess how frequently they send and read a text message while driving. Based on this information, students were assigned to one of two groups: 20 students who frequently text while driving and 20 matched-control students who infrequently text while driving but were similar in gender, age, years of education, and years driving. The groups were compared on the extent to which they differed in self-reported measures of executive function and impulsivity. The groups were also compared on a behavioral measure of impulsivity: the extent to which they discounted hypothetical monetary rewards as a function of the delay. For this measure, the students made repeated choices between smaller monetary rewards available immediately and larger rewards available after delays ranging from 1 week to 6 months. The results show that the group of students who frequently text while driving showed (a) significantly lower levels of executive function and (b) higher levels of self-reported impulsivity, although the groups did not differ significantly on the behavioral measure of impulsivity. These results support a general conclusion that drivers with lower levels of executive function and higher levels of impulsivity are more likely to text while driving.
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University, Hazleton, 76 University Drive, Hazleton, PA 18202, USA. Electronic address: yuh26@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University, Hazleton, 76 University Drive, Hazleton, PA 18202, USA.
authors.forename: Esteban A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University, Hazleton, 76 University Drive, Hazleton, PA 18202, USA.
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Modico
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1095 Willowdale Rd, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA.
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Foreman
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1095 Willowdale Rd, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Wirth
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002755:Choice Behavior; D000071826:Distracted Driving / Q000523:psychology; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D012201:Reward; D012309:Risk-Taking; D000068997:Smartphone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D060145:Text Messaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: College students; Decision making; Delay discounting; Executive function; Impulsivity; Texting while driving