Psychology 409a- November 28th, 2005

Psychology 409a- November 28^th, 2005

My Ninth Outline of Assigned Readings

By Kalena Luney

A Treatment Plan

Reference xx- The Fast and the Furious: Psychologists figure out who gets road rage and find ways to calm them down. http://www.psychologymatters.org/roadrage.html

Instructions for this activity are found at:

www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy23/409a-g23-oral.htm

Instructor: Dr. Leon James

I. Five key elements of high-anger drivers

a.) self-identified drivers differ from low-anger drivers in five distinct ways

b.) these include:

i.) engage in hostile or aggressive thinking

ii.) take more risks on the road

iii.) get angry faster

iv.) have twice as many accidents in simulations

v.) experience more trait anger, anxiety and impulsiveness

c.) think of someone you know who seems to get angrier faster or more often than

everyone else. Significance? potentially 50% of the population is on the

road with a short temper

II. Temperament and Environment

a.) road rage behaviors dependent on situational environment

b.) studies found high anger drivers stayed clam under certain circumstances

c.) congestion and slower traffic only increase anger of some high anger drivers

d.) large individual differences suggest that environment and temperament

contribute

e.) significance: road rage behaviors are not present at all times and are

somewhat unpredictable, dependent on situation

III. Intervention Success

a.) cognitive and relaxation techniques used as an intervention have proved

successful in two studies: CSU and University at Albany

b.) CSU- high anger drivers who wanted help attended 8 therapy sessions

involving either relaxation therapy or cognitive-relaxation therapy. both styles were found to be effective in reducing frequency and intensity of anger while driving. majority remained at immediate post-treatment level after one year.

c.) New York- 20 aggressive drivers reffered by district attorney and 10 volunteers who described themselves as aggressive drivers. Treatment sessions included deep relaxation therapy, stress management coping skills and cognitive restructuring. Treatment group averaged a 64% drop in aggressive driving behaviors. This was maintained at three month follow-up.