People
| Office: | 2064 David King Hall |
| Mailing Address: |
4400 University Dr MS3F5 Fairfax, VA 22030-4444 |
| Email: | dkidd3@gmu.edu |
David Kidd is a fifth year doctoral student under the advisement of Dr. Christopher Monk. He received his Master's of Arts in Human Factors at George Mason University in 2008 and his Bachelor's of Science degree in Psychology at Virginia Tech in 2006.
Research
Driver Cognition
David is an active researcher in the area of driver distraction. Currently he is working on his dissertation where he is examining the strategies drivers use to interleave a distracting activity with driving. The goal of this work is to understand the factors that dictate how drivers break up larger tasks into smaller sub-tasks that can then be threaded into the driving task. In the past, David investigated intersection safety and driver distraction. He conducted a study that examined the effects of distractions on stop-go decisions in response to a yellow light change and another that looked at the appropriateness of traffic signal phase timings in distracted driver populations. Lastly, David has completed several studies comparing the accuracy of drivers' perceived distracted driving performance to their actual distracted driving performance.
Advanced Collision Warning Systems
David continues to work on topics related to the effectiveness of advanced collision warning systems (ACWS). Currently, he is developing driving simulations to see if an auditory stroop effect undermines the effectiveness of collision warnings. David has also been involved in work funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to examine drivers' behavioral responses to forward collision warnings when switching from a familiar collision warning system to a new, unfamiliar collision warnings system. Findings from this study will be combined with a survey of the features and specifications of ACWS systems in current automobiles to make recommendations about collision warning standardization.
Automotive Design and Analysis
For several years now, David has explored how the design of in-vehicle systems and devices affect driver safety and performance. David was a part of team that evaluated Ford SYNC, a speech based infotainment system that allows users to use voice commands to control various communication and entertainment technologies while driving. The evaluation was published in User Experience and David also spoke on an expert panel at South by Southwest that discussed in-vehicle device design and driver distraction.
David and a team of his colleagues designed an augmented speedometer display known as Speed Limits for Inclement Conditions, or SLIC. Our patent-pending display design was developed using a human-centered design approach and was selected as one of three North American finalists in the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles design competition. We have completed several studies demonstrating the effectiveness of SLIC and are continuing to conduct studies to validate the design. Head to our SLIC homepage to learn more about SLIC and see how it works
Individual Differences
David is also interested in using generalizability theory as a method to quantify sources of variation as a means for improving the effectiveness of experimental design. He applies generalizability theory in Human Factors research to measure the effectiveness of experimental manipulations and controls.