讲座人介绍：Professor Charlton is an engineering psychologist with over 30 years’ experience investigating issues in applied cognitive psychology and human factors. A founding member of the University of Waikato’s Transport Research Group, his work has examined a range of road transport issues such as driver attentiveness and fatigue, drivers’ perceptions of risk and speed, and the design of self-explaining roads. His NZTA-funded research into the effect of cell phones on driver performance led to changes to the Land Transport (Road User) Amendment Rule in 2009. In 2011 his research into acute error effects associated with moderate use of alcohol by drivers informed government policy and led to changes to the Land Transport (Road User) Amendment Rule in 2014. Samuel is also interested in driving as skilled behaviour, and how it can inform theory development in attention, decision-making, and automaticity of performance. Samuel is internationally recognised as a leader in the areas of driving simulation and driver behaviour research and is Editor in Chief of the Elsevier journal Traffic Psychology and Behaviour. His work has been recognised with a Research Excellence Award from the NZ Automobile Association, a Road Safety Innovation and Achievement Award from the NZ Local Authority Traffic Institute, a Road Safety Engineering Award from the Road Safety Trust, and a 3M Traffic Safety Innovation Award.

讲座内容：Driving a car is a complex skill to learn. With practice, however, it becomes so easy that we don’t give it a second thought. For most of us driving is an everyday activity that we accomplish with very little effort or deliberation. The drive to work or home becomes all about getting there, with very little attention given to the journey itself.In his presentation, Professor Charlton describes his research into the mental processes that allow us to carry out familiar, everyday activities successfully, and why we then have little or no memory for the details of what happened. We are able to perform everyday skills such as driving, cycling, or walking at a “preconscious” level, and if we focus our attention on how we are performing, it can interfere with our ability to continue doing them.