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Understanding driver anger and aggression: attributional theory in the driving environment
Christine M Wickens1, David L Wiesenthal, David B Flora
1Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. christine_wickens@camh.net
Journal of Experimental Psychology. Applied
|October 13, 2011
Summary
Understanding driver behavior is key to road safety. This study shows how perceptions of responsibility influence anger and sympathy, impacting aggressive or prosocial responses on the road.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Traffic Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Weiner's attributional model explains social conduct by examining responsibility inferences after causal judgments.
- Applying this model to roadway environments is crucial for understanding driver interactions and safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the applicability of Weiner's attributional model to social conduct in driving situations.
- To investigate how perceptions of controllability, intentionality, and responsibility influence driver emotions and responses.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Participants responded to written driving scenarios with manipulated controllability and intentionality.
- Study 2: Participants completed online driving diaries, reporting negative encounters and responding to questionnaires.
- Path analyses were used to examine the mediating role of responsibility perceptions.
Main Results:
- Perceptions of responsibility mediated the link between controllability, intentionality, and anger.
- Lower controllability and intentionality led to reduced responsibility, fostering sympathy.
- Anger correlated with aggressive responses, while sympathy correlated with prosocial responses.
Conclusions:
- Weiner's attributional model effectively explains social conduct and emotional responses in driving.
- Attributional retraining, driver communication education, and promoting forgiveness can enhance road safety.
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