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Gender differences in psychosocial predictors of texting while driving
Cindy Struckman-Johnson1, Samuel Gaster1, Dave Struckman-Johnson1
1University of South Dakota, 414 E. Clark St., Vermillion, SD 57069, USA.
Accident; Analysis and Prevention
|December 3, 2014
Summary
Men and women text while driving equally often, but differ in message length and reasons for quitting. Psychosocial factors like cell phone dependence and risky behaviors influence texting while driving in both genders.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Traffic Safety
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Texting while driving is a prevalent risk behavior among college students.
- Understanding the psychosocial motives behind this behavior is crucial for developing effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gender differences in psychosocial motives for texting while driving among college students.
- To identify predictors of texting while driving behavior in male and female college students.
Main Methods:
- An online survey was administered to 158 male and 357 female college students.
- Hierarchical regression analyses were used to examine associations between psychosocial factors and texting while driving.
Main Results:
- No gender differences were found in the frequency of texting while driving.
- Women were more likely than men to cite specific reasons for quitting texting while driving.
- Cell phone dependence, risky behavioral tendencies, and distractibility were significant predictors for both genders, with some gender-specific factors emerging.
Conclusions:
- While overall texting while driving frequency is similar, gender-specific prevention strategies may be more effective.
- Interventions should consider factors like cell phone dependence, risk-taking tendencies, and perceived distractibility.
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