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Abstract

Previous research suggests that drivers use specific visual information to execute braking behaviors [Faj05] and that drivers calibrate braking behavior to this visual information over time [Faj09]. Specifically, Fajen (2005) argued that when successfully braking, participants adjust braking pressure to maintain a visually-specified ideal braking pressure less than one’s maximum ability to brake. In the current paper, we investigated whether factors, specifically one’s emotional state, would alter the relationship between braking behavior and visually-specified ideal braking pressure over time. Specifically, we investigated whether the performance of braking changed when anxious. Previous research demonstrated that anxiety influences static perceptual judgments of space [Gra12] and the performance of open-loop sports actions [Bei10]. Open-loop actions are actions where once the movement has been initiated there are no opportunities to alter the outcome (i.e., putting a golf ball). This research shows an influence of anxiety on static perceptual tasks and the performance of open-loop actions suggesting that anxiety may also influence more complex everyday actions like braking. It is important to know whether, and how, the influence of anxiety extends to the performance of closedloop actions like braking given the potential realworld consequences of poor performance.