Psy
409a, Sept. 10, 2006
Neuropsychology and the Effects of Stessors in Driving
by Gina
Kim
Instructions
for this activity are found at:
www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/g25-oral1.htm
Instructor:
Dr. Leon James
Peter Rothe,
Editor (2002). Driving Lessons: Exploring Systems That Make Traffic Safer.
(
A.
Three Subsystems
1. Health Sub-System
a. A person’s
health doesn’t only have to do with “the absence of illness”, but is “a
complete state of physical, mental and social well-being”.(Rothe, p. 10)
b. One’s health
affects traffic because health affects how one relates to others and the
environment. We need to be healthy physically and mentally.
2. Social Sub-System
a. Humans beings
are meant to be social. We are affected
constantly by friends, family members, coworkers, etc. whether we’re driving or
not.
b. Driving
affects social behaviors in that we are constantly interacting with each other
directly or indirectly as drivers or passengers.
3. Cultural Sub-System
a. Although
cultures in different areas differ, drivers tend to have similar thoughts and
experiences while on the road.
b. Driving in itself can bring out
different thought processes, values, and behaviors despite one’s culture and
therefore drivers have their own driving culture.
B.
Neuropsychology and screening systems
1. Neuropsychology
studies disorders in brain functions like memory, attention, language,
personality and social behaviors, etc.
2. Studies done in neuropsychology provide insight into an individual’s mental
efficiency.
3. One needs to have proper
cognitive skills when driving and a neuropsychological examination might help
to show which individuals will be good drivers.
4. The check-ups being
administered may only be very general and superficial.
5. A medical and visual check-up
doesn’t clearly show an individual’s brain functions.
a. Are all
elderly drivers unsafe drivers?
b. Visual
attention is more important in driving than vision alone.
6. Neuropsychological exams
might help to show driving skills in young adults as well.
a. Sensation
seeking is a personality trait that is shown to have a positive relationship
with risky driving.
C.
Fallible Human Behaviour
1. Drowsy Driving and Alerting
Devices
a. Drowsiness is
a problem because when people have to drive when tired, their performance is
impaired.
b. Many devices are
being made to help people stay alert while driving
2. Handedness
a. 90% of people are right handed and right-handed people
are shown to have greater motor and visual skills than left-handed people.
b. Left-handed
drivers are more likely to die in car crashes and gearshifts in cars are
dangerous to them.
D.
Stressors in Driving
1. Although many people see
driving as a source of freedom, it is also a source of stress.
2. Lack of control,
territoriality, multi-tasking, and unpredictability are just a few of many
stressors on the road.
3. These stressors, along with a
driver’s personality, can bring out road rage and aggressiveness in many
drivers.
E.
Road Rage and Aggressive Driving
1. Although states are passing
bills regarding aggressive driving, it can be seen as a cultural norm because
our behaviors in the car are passed on from generation to generation and come
naturally without any form of training.
2. Studies show that men
participate in aggressive driving more often than women but the number of women
displaying road rage is growing.
3. Aggressive drivers are also
the ones that usually resist change. They see themselves as near-perfect
drivers and that nothing is their fault.
F.
Intervention Hasn’t Worked
1. Many things have been done to
try and reduce the number of car –related accidents and fatalities. Still, the
overall number has remained constant through the years,
2. Many things in society keep
driving risky. Aggressiveness and competitiveness is kept as a value in driving
and aggressive driving is seen as being fun.
3. Outside factors can be
changed, but it is much harder to intervene and change individual traits and
values. If things are made safer, drivers will drive faster and riskier to
compensate.
G.
Driving Psychology and Three Domains
1. Affective Norm
a. Drivers tend
to be territorial, dominating, and competitive.
b. Drivers
affect other drivers in these ways and these tendencies can be seen as
antisocial.
2. Cognitive Norm
a. Drivers made
inaccurate risk assessment, are biased, and tend to forget their true morals
while driving.
b. A driver’s
cognitive skills tend to change while driving and their thoughts are usually
inaccurate.
3. Sensorimotor
Norm
a. Drivers tend
to be unaware of their own driving skills like speeding and have lapses in
performance.
b. These actions
are immature and unnecessary.
LINKS
1. Vision Screening at Renewal : www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/research/MedicalAdvisory/pages/In-depth-j.html - This
article shows a debate about whether visual exams should be administered during
renewals. It discusses the fact that people between 20 and 40 should not have
to be tested again every five years. It
did a good comparison between elderly drivers and young adults.
2. Sleep Foundation : http://www.sleepfoundation.org/hottopics/index.php?secid=10 - This
webpage has various articles and links to pages relating to sleep and driving.
3. Aggressive Driving in
My Home page: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409af2006/kim/kim-home.htm
Class Home
Page: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/classhome-g25.htm