Psychology 409a-
September 17, 2006
Witnessing and Changing
By: Jessica Trujillo
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. (
Concept #1- Self Witnessing- a self observing
technique that exposes thoughts, actions and emotions
1)
Definition: witnessing
ones own drivers personality by observing and becoming aware of your threefold
self which contains three different domains that includes the following:
a.
the affective (the feelings and motivations
while driving),
b.
cognitive (the
thinking and reasoning while driving)
c.
The sensorimotor
(the sensations, perceptions and actions while driving).
d.
Essentially,
it was designed to obtain reliable data on events in the private world of
drivers
e.
When asked to
introduce themselves as drivers, various information was given
i.
Kinds of cars
driven
ii.
Costs,
dangers, and frustrations they feel effects them while they drive
iii.
Their mood
changes as a result of driving episodes
iv.
Their driving
record… ETC.
v.
These
ingredients along with others constitute dimensions of discrimination along
which drivers spontaneously monitor themselves – basically they expose a
drivers self image
f.
The drivers
speak into a recorders the moment their emotions, thoughts, actions and
feelings arise (they are doing this while they are driving
g.
When asked to
introduce themselves as drivers, various information was given
i.
Kinds of cars
driven
ii.
Costs,
dangers, and frustrations they feel effects them while they drive
iii.
Their mood
changes as a result of driving episodes
iv.
Their driving
record… ETC.
v.
These
ingredients along with others constitute dimensions of discrimination along
which drivers spontaneously monitor themselves – basically they expose a
drivers self image
vi.
What they have
found is that written self assessments are more likely to be retrospective data
because the recollection of facts is mixed with their self image as drivers –
vii.
where as self
witnessing reports tend to be more concurrent and present
2)
I Chose this
topic because I think that in order to change anything you need to know what is
wrong and what needs to be changed
a.
It is
important to distinguish in which area you are falling short i.e. cognitive,
affective, and sensorimotor so that you realize what area the most needs work.
b.
I also think
that it is important to vocalize what we think – because other people can
sometimes tell us what we are being like, (like Dr. James’s wife) but we can be blinded to it, but if we hear
it from our own mouths we are more likely to realize something needs work.
c.
I think that
self witnessing is a very effective tool to changing the driver’s personality
3)
Lecture Notes state-
a.
“The driver's threefold self is a joint product of biology, culture,
socialization, morality, and rationality. As children we acquire the driving
style of our parents, other adults, and characters in the media (TV, movies,
magazines, cartoons, and commercials). By the time we begin to drive in our
adolescence we have been exposed to years of aggressive driving behaviors in
all three domains”
b.
We learned
from witnessing others and so I think we need to unlearn by witnessing
ourselves.
Concept #2- Driver personality
Makeover Plan – occurs after self witnessing – basically a plan to change
1)
Definition:
The driver personality makeover plan works in accordance with the driver
taxonomy (18 behavioral zones of driving) – and then works in a two step
process
a.
Example: a
driver realizes that he needs to change their aggressive driving behavior-
starts with stage one (avoiding being an aggressive driver)
i.
First- he has
to overcome the affective level (his resistance to change)
ii.
Second-
Cognitive level (learning to do rational analyzes of traffic incidents)
iii.
Third-
Sensorimotor level (acting out civil behavior)
b.
Second phase
is the maturing phase where he transitions from changing the aggressive driving
behavior to actually becoming a supportive driver
i.
First-
overcoming the affective level (maintaining a supportive orientations towards
other drivers)
ii.
Second-
Cognitive level (Analyzing driving situations objectively)
iii.
Third-
Sensorimotor level (behaving like a happy person)
c.
Basically a
three step process to driver personality makeover
i.
1st
– (A) acknowledging that I have a certain problem
ii.
2nd
– (W) witnessing myself performing this negative habit
iii.
3rd-
(M) modify this habit
d.
Once these are
continually put into practice, the old bad habit will leave and the new positive
habit will take its place.
e.
This needs to
be repeated item by item- a lifelong process
2)
I chose this
topic because it is obviously a very important step. If you just do self witnessing, but you never
do the personality makeover, then all the knowledge you gained will go to
waste, and behavioral modification will not take place – I think that this is
very important
3)
Lecture notes-
Table 3
Two Stages of a Driving Personality
Makeover Plan
|
|
|
||
|
|
Cognitive Level |
Sensorimotor Level |
|
|
·
Reasoning
against my attribution errors (It's always their fault. It's never
my fault) ·
counteracting
my self-serving bias in how I view incidents ·
acquiring
more socialized self-regulatory sentences I can say to myself |
·
waving,
smiling, signaling ·
not
crowding, not rushing in, not swearing ·
not
aggressing against passengers ·
pretending
that I'm in a good mood even when not |
|
|
|
|
||
|
Affective Level |
Cognitive Level |
Sensorimotor Level |
|
|
·
feeling responsible for errors and seeking opportunities to make reparations ·
feeling regret at my unfriendly behaviors and impulses ·
feeling good about behaving with civility or kindness ·
feeling appreciation when being given advice by passenger ·
being forgiving of others' mistakes and weaknesses |
·
acknowledging and knowing my driving errors ·
planning and rehearsing the modification of those habits ·
analyzing other drivers' behaviors objectively or impartially |
·
anticipating the needs of other drivers and being helpful to them ·
verbalizing nice sentiments ·
enjoying the ride and relaxing |
|
Links:
1)
http://www.caldrive.com/habits.html
- bad habits in
2)
http://www.physorg.com/news4460.html
- article about how children learn their bad driving habits early and from
parents
3)
http://www.traffic-intersection-awareness.com/drivers.aspx
- bad driving habits listed to attempt to tell people to watch out and avoid these
habits
Class Homepage: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/classhome-g25.htm
My Homepage: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409af2006/trujillo/trujillo-home.htm