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Related Experiment Videos

Anger on and off the road.

Brian Parkinson1

  • 1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, UK.

British Journal of Psychology (London, England : 1953)
|January 23, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Driving anger is purer, more other-blaming, and less influenced by pre-existing mood compared to anger in other situations. This suggests unique road-related factors trigger distinct driving anger experiences.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Emotion Research

Background:

  • Anger is a common human emotion, but its expression and triggers can vary significantly by context.
  • Driving situations are frequently cited as a common source of anger, yet the specific characteristics of driving anger are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the phenomenology of anger experienced while driving versus in non-driving situations.
  • To investigate the causes, emotional characteristics, and influencing factors of driving anger.
  • To examine the relationship between individual differences and the frequency of driving anger.

Main Methods:

  • Participants recalled and described two recent anger experiences: one while driving and one in a non-driving context.
  • Self-report measures assessed the emotional characteristics, perceived causes, and preceding affective states for each anger episode.
  • Frequency of anger while driving was estimated and compared to other activities.
  • Correlations were examined between individual difference measures (ambivalence, self-consciousness, empathy) and driving anger, alongside self-report indices of driving anger and aggression.

Main Results:

  • Anger while driving was characterized by less emotional mixing, purer appraisals of other-blame, and a higher likelihood of stemming from communication difficulties.
  • Drivers experienced lower levels of negative affect and considered mood/pressure less influential in driving anger compared to non-driving anger.
  • Frequency estimates indicated anger is relatively more common during driving.
  • While general individual differences did not correlate with driving anger frequency, specific self-report indices of driving anger and aggression were significant predictors.

Conclusions:

  • The road environment possesses unique features that predispose drivers to anger.
  • Driving anger manifests differently from anger experienced in other contexts, often involving more direct attributions of blame and fewer confounding emotional or situational factors.
  • Understanding these distinctions is crucial for addressing driving anger and promoting road safety.

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