Proximal and Distal Determinants of Task Difficulty

The incorporation of TCI into TDH was mainly carried out through the addition of distal and proximal determinants. These determinants act on different parts of the core comparison between perceived task difficulty and preferred task difficnlty, and are intended to make the theory more comprehensive. The most comprehensive version of the theory to date is therefore shown in Fignre 4.2. 

Another addition is the distal disposition to comply with the speed limit and a proximal element of immediate influences on compliance. These elements are shown as influencing drivers decisions and responses outside of the normally described comparison process. However, it seems that this element could easily be covered within the initial comparison between perceived capability and perceived task dif-flculty. Surely the level of enforcement in the environment is part of task d and, making it harder or easier to avoid detection. Then the intention to comply could arise out of an individual s capability to react to this external demand. It therefore seems inconsistent to consider that a demand/capability comparison is said to occur as a reaction to other road users behaviour, but not to the presence of enforcanent, which is essentially just a special type of other road user behaviour. 

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