Outline of My Six Oral Presentation

“Exercising The Mind”

This is a presentation of

Road Rage and Aggressive Driving: Steering Clear of Highway Warfare

Dr. Leon James and Dr. Diane Nahl, Prometheus Books, pp. 120-132

By Jadine Makinano

I. Positive and Negative Driver Skills Exercise

a. Definition

i. Positive––Focus on an individuals’ feelings and thoughts

ii. Negative––Focus is antisocial because it always wants to blame, punish, and retaliate

b. Examples:

i. Driver competence skills: Practicing positive role models vs. negative ones

1. Positive––“This person apparently likes the left lane. I’ll just move in the right lane”

2. Negative––"What are you doing idiot, get out of the left lane, it’s for faster people like ME!”

c. Opinion: I think this exercise is a great practice. It is good to see the differences and reflect on my own driving

II. Inner Power Too: Acting As If Exercise

a. Definition

i. To act as if something does not matter, but in actuality it really does.

b. Examples:

i. Oppositional Driving Style

1. “Forget it, I’m not letting you in, wait in line jerk-oid”

ii. Supportive Driving Style

1. “Although we’re all trying to get to work, come in buddy, there’s room for everyone.”

c. Opinion: This exercise kind of sounds similar to the passive-aggressive road rager.

III. Scenario Analysis To Modify Oppositional Thinking

a. Definition

i. Oppositional symptoms

1. Obsessing about slow traffic, being overcritical, etc.

ii. Identified with wrong assumptions and begin to change them

b. Examples: (slow traffic)

i. Statements in traffic

1. “I feel like I’m going crazy, I’d rather walk!”

ii. Emotionally intelligent remedy

1. Leaving earlier

2. Pray

c. Opinion: I think that this exercise is very helpful, especially when you’re in the particular moment and you’re able to reflect.

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