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Full throttle: are motorcyclists as risk-taking as we think?
Cassidy Wiley1, Taylor G Hill2
1: Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Canada.
Current Issues in Personality Psychology
|December 19, 2024
Summary
Car drivers perceive motorcyclists negatively, viewing them as more disinhibited and neurotic than motorcyclists self-report. This study reveals a discrepancy between actual motorcyclist personalities and public perception.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Personality Psychology
Background:
- Motorcycling offers social and personal benefits, fostering community and positive emotions.
- Motorcyclists often face negative stereotypes, perceived as rebellious and risk-taking.
- The accuracy of these stereotypes among non-motorcyclists remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the personality profile of motorcyclists using the Big Five trait perspective.
- To compare motorcyclists' self-reported personalities with non-motorcyclists' perceptions.
- To assess the congruence between actual and perceived motorcyclist personalities.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 376 participants.
- The study included 194 motorcyclists and 182 car drivers.
- Data collected included personality traits (self-report and perceived) and well-being.
Main Results:
- Car drivers perceived motorcyclists as more disinhibited, neurotic, less open, agreeable, and conscientious.
- Motorcyclists' self-reported personalities differed significantly from car drivers' perceptions.
- A notable disparity exists between how motorcyclists see themselves and how others perceive them.
Conclusions:
- Car drivers hold more negative perceptions of motorcyclists than their actual personalities warrant.
- These findings suggest an unfavorable judgment and stereotyping of the motorcycling community.
- Addressing these perceptual biases is important for social understanding.
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