Report 2:

My Understanding of Driving Psychology
by Tiare MacDonald

Instructions for this report are at:
www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy24/409a-g24-report2.htm 
I am answering Questions 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7.

 

The Question I am answering is Question 1:

(a) Give a brief review of our two textbooks: Road Rage and Aggressive Driving (James and Nahl), and Driving Lessons: Exploring Systems That Make Traffic Safer (Peter Rothe, Editor). The reviews should be between 3 and 6 paragraphs for each text.

Road Rage Summary:

Road Rage and Aggressive Driving by Dr. Leon James and Dr. Diane Nahl is comprised of three main sections: “Conflict Mentality”, “Driving Psychology” and “The Future of Driving”. These sections are divided into several chapters each that cover various topics and provide exercises and checklists so that you can see how each concept relates to you.

“Conflict Mentality,” the first section of the book, discusses the road rage epidemic in our nation (and world) and defines what aggressive driving is as well as the various types of aggressive driving. It speaks about how aggressive driving is the norm of our society and covers possible contributing factors: media, gender, peers, parents, etc. This section also talks about the infinite number of consequences of aggressive driving on the road. “Conflict Mentality” also debunks myths such as anger venting being a means by which one can become less angry.

The second section of Road Rage talks about the basic principles of driving psychology. It starts out talking about the importance of emotional intelligence on the road. It then goes over the three-step driver self-improvement program, which involves acknowledging a negative driving habit, witnessing that habit, and then modifying it. The “Driving Psychology” section then discusses how aggressive driving affects children and adolescents, and how driving education needs to start from a young age. After this, the book goes into detail about how to become a supportive driver, and what supportive driving means. Last, it proposes the idea of Lifelong Driver Education, which includes a hypothetical curriculum for children and teens, as well as discussing things such as Quality Driving Circles.

The last section, “The Future of Driving” talks about what has been done to try to combat aggressive driving and technological issues that affect driving safety. First, this section covers external actions taken, such as congressional testimonies against aggressive driving, and increased law enforcement. Second, it discusses the various issues regarding changes that are meant to create safer roads (such as traffic calming). And last, this part of the book talks about how things like cell phones and other technologies are being intertwined with driving, which bring both benefits and risks.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s very user-friendly and promotes reader involvement.

Driving Lessons Summary:

Driving Lessons: Exploring Systems that Make Traffic Suffer, edited by J. Peter Rothe, is a compilation of many essays written by different people that surround the issue of making the road a safer place. This book discusses many solutions and ways to lessen suffering caused by road problems. These possible remedies are for the most part pretty insightful.

The first section of Driving Lessons is called “Personal Sub-Systems.” This refers to how heath, society, and culture relate to the concept of driving. These things affect how people view driving, feel while driving, and actually drive. It addresses how these factors often place risk on drivers. In this way, it represents the hidden world of driving. Specific issues within this section include how drivers have unrealistic expectations of the road and how more needs to be learned about casualties caused by traffic accidents.

The second section of Driving Lessons is called “Institutional Sub-Systems.” This part of the book discusses how institutions and individuals influence the level of danger on the road. It talks about how everyone looks out primarily for themselves on the road, how the costs of driving are affected by the economy and place pressures upon those in the driving industry, and the flaws and ethical issues of law enforcement on the road. “Institutional Sub-Systems” also addresses how the media can hurt or help traffic safety, and how education can be used to create a safer generation of drivers.

The last section of Driving Lessons is entitled “Technical Sub-Systems,” and it contains articles that discuss how technology has and is being used to make the road safer, through more discreet means of law enforcement, or gadgets within cars. This section brings up issues such as cell phone use and driving mastery.

Overall, this book was pretty interesting, although sometimes difficult to understand.   

(b) Select Chapter 8 on Supportive Driving (by James and Nahl) in the Road Rage book and Chapter 14 on Driving Skills (by Lawrance Lonero) in the Driving Lessons book. Summarize their content. Be sure to refer to the author's name(s).

Chapter 8 – Road Rage

In Chapter 8 of Road Rage and Aggressive Driving, Dr. Leon James discusses the rewards of supportive driving, and how to become a supportive driver. Supportive driving is an understanding and tolerance of the diversity of drivers. In other words, opposite of the aggressive driving mentality, it is the unconditional positive regard for other drivers.

Drivers need to accept that the road is an unpredictable place, with people of all backgrounds, objectives and states of mind. This will allow drivers to develop the mindset that they need to be supportive of all other drivers on the road, and that their thoughts, feelings and actions should reflect this. Road ragers do not support anyone but themselves and compete against others. Aggressive driving is therefore selfish. Supportive driving means putting oneself in another driver’s position and recognizing one’s own driving fallibility. This empathy will promote a more positive road environment.

Supportive thinking includes always having positive thoughts about other drivers. For example, if someone is speeding, a supportive driver may think “Uh, oh. They must have something important they have to do.” Supportive feelings in this situation would include remaining calm and alert to the other driver’s needs. Supportive actions may be getting out of this driver’s way so that they can pass.

Dr. James talks about how supportive driving is an opportunity to connect with other drivers as “peaceful strangers” (James & Nahl,168). This can be done through making gestures to express gratitude, or by letting someone in your lane. Performing these kind acts will curb aggressive driving, minimizing stress, promoting good physical health, creating a positive atmosphere on the road and safeguarding against possible accidents, financial obligations, etc.

In modern mainstream culture, defensive driving is viewed as the alternative to aggressive driving. However, defensive driving promotes a negative attitude towards other drivers, and fails to acknowledge the diversity of the road.

Lack of communication on the road can be a dangerous thing. Drivers are frequently forced to guess what other drivers want or need. Developing a universal language on the road (via signing) could reduce the unpredictability and danger of the road.

Supportive driver training entails focusing on accommodating other drivers on the road. By doing so, you alleviate some of the tension on the road and within yourself.

Last, being open to passenger suggestions is also important because they may bring to light some issues that you have not been aware of within your driving.

Chapter 14 – Driving Lessons

In Chapter 14 of Driving Lessons, Lawrence P. Lonero illustrates the sheer complexity of driving skill. Driving involves using a multitude of skills that interact on multiple levels.

Experienced drivers have some advantage over inexperienced drivers because they have gotten practice with certain skills and are better able to do things like manage their attention and make quick decisions. Another reason why they may be at an advantage is because some more intricate skills are dependent on learning the basic skills first. However, the downside to being an experienced driver is that they develop bad habits that are very difficult to break unless they retrain themselves.

Driving skills use basic human abilities, many of which are related to cognition. However, these basic human abilities are limited. The road contains so much information at a given time that humans are bound to miss some. The human brain has a certain amount of resources, which puts drivers at danger.

The Taxonomic Model of Driving and Driver Skills portrays many skills that require information-processing in the driver, where mistakes can easily be made. They are knowledge, attention, detection, perception, evaluation, decision, motor skill, imagination, motivation and responsibility. The Process model of skill categories shows how they these skills tend to interact.

The typical driver errors for each skill are as follows:

1.      Knowledge – Learned bad habits.

2.      Attention -- Failure to attend to the appropriate stimuli.

3.      Detection – Failure to detect important information from the environment.

4.      Perception – Expectations of the road; people often perceive what they expect to perceive, even if in objective reality, they are wrong.

5.      Evaluation – Inaccurate evaluation of the consequence of a decision. Often degraded by alcohol and fatigue.

6.      Decision – Decision-timing, and content of the actual decision.

7.      Motor Skills – Undeveloped or newly learned skills.

8.      Imagination – Inability to imagine potential dangers.

9.      Motivation – Different motivations of drivers on the road.

10. Responsibility – Values and internalized norms are dangerous (e.g. road rage as a cultural norm).

As technology increases in the driving world, new skills must be learned by all drivers or technological devices are either futile or precarious. Thus, more will be demanded from driver’s education. This may be an opportunity to develop a driving education that not only addresses technological issues but implements a curriculum of lifelong education about the threefold self of driving. The reason for this is because all the technology in the world cannot make the road a safer place to drive if drivers do not themselves start to improve their own habits/skills.

(c) Discuss in what way these ideas can help solve society's driving problems. Be specific: what are the main problems and how can particular ideas in these chapters help solve those problems.

I feel that above everything else, the main problem lies within individuals. They need to develop an understanding of driving psychology and grasp the seriousness of aggressive driving. They then need to acknowledge witness and modify their behaviors. People need to transcend our cultural norm of road rage. The only way that they can fully do this is if they view driving as a lifelong skill and are open to constantly improving their bad habits. Quality Driving Circles are a great idea, because they create a micro-culture that fosters supportive driving.

I think that various institutions also need to recognize the great suffering that occurs from traffic accidents. By doing this, they can increase law enforcement, and implement driving curriculums throughout a person’s childhood and beyond. This driving curriculum would teach people about the threefold self and about becoming emotionally intelligent drivers.

To combat aggressive driving, I think there needs to be a greater number of unmarked police vehicles, more severe fines for traffic violations, and reward systems for positive driving behavior. I also believe that there needs to be some sort of behavior modification system that everyone is required to go through in order to continue to have a valid driver’s license.

To create a safer road environment, I think traffic calming does help, although people do have their preferred level of risk that will compensate for these types of external features. I also think the idea of creating a universal motorist’s language and making it mandatory for people to become literate in this would clear up a lot of the ambiguity on the road because people would be able to communicate with one another.

Overall, I believe the greatest focus should be on education, since many people are ignorant to the principles of driving psychology (I know I was).

(d) Describe any resistance you experience regarding this orientation, including:

(i) the idea that how you drive is a moral issue of human rights

 

I do not have any resistance to this idea. I acknowledge that it is true, but I do think it is easy to forget. Driving in a car does feel isolated, and most interactions with other drivers seem primarily sensorimotor (we generally do not know what they are thinking and feeling at any given time). Thus, it is sometimes difficult to remember that driving is a “group activity.” Driving injures and kills. Thus, every driving decision has its moral implications. Aggressive drivers do not have regard for the human rights of others. They are only out for themselves.

 

If all drivers stopped and really thought about what driving means at its most fundamental level, they may gain an appreciation for this idea. Just because interactions on the road are often anonymous, does not mean that you can act in whatever way that you choose. In having a self-centered outlook on driving, you put others in jeopardy and may live (or not live) to regret your actions.

(ii) the idea of lifelong driver education and the idea of mandatory participation in QDC support groups

 

I must admit that I am not sure about the whole “mandatory” aspect of this participation. I do have some reservations—immediately, after I read this, I thought, “I don’t have the time for that.” However, the positive thing about QDC support groups is that they do not have to be in person. They could just be via email, on internet bulletin boards, or on the telephone, where people share ideas at their own convenience.

 

I do appreciate the idea of QDC groups. It is important when you are making changes to have a network with others who have similar goals as you. As far as the mandatory aspect, I do not think that this is very feasible, and do not feel that it will ever be the “law” to be a part of a QDC group. Other support groups are not mandatory, so I do not see how this one could become mandatory without major societal resistance. However, I think that people should join QDC groups at their own will, and that the opportunity should be advertised more.

 

(e) Describe the reactions of friends when you tell them about driving personality makeovers

 

I spoke to my brother and one of my friends about driving personality makeovers. Both of them were pretty resistant to it for two main reasons: 1) They felt that they were good drivers and did not need a makeover and 2) They felt that they have better ways to spend their time.

 

To go more into detail, my brother is a very aggressive driver. He is very impatient and speeds all over the place. He even has one of those sensor things (I’m not sure what you call them) that alert you when a police radar is nearby so that if you are speeding you can slow down before you get caught. He also has bad vision but he refuses to wear his glasses while driving because he hates the way they look. Anyways, he really seems stuck in his ways and I think the only way he might consider even a mini makeover was if he was brainwashed. He truly believes that other drivers are idiots and that they should just get out of his way.

 

My friend is harder to classify. She is a major traffic violator, but she never seems to get angry on the road. It’s as almost if she was wired to drive that way. Speeding is her worse offense. She carries a lackadaisical attitude when she drives, and so when I asked her if she would entertain the idea of getting a driving personality makeover, she just laughed and said “Maybe if someone paid me.” She thinks that her driving is fine and does not believe she is dangerous because she has never gotten into any wrecks or received tickets. 

 

The Question I am answering is Question 3:

(a) Select three student reports at www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/499s2003/newsgroups  Be sure you put a link to the report you are quoting from. Summarize what the three students were trying to do, what methods they used, and what they concluded.

Stephen Weers’– Stephen basically analyzed newsgroups by commenting on the various discussions. The method he used was to select discussions to bring light to some issues about driving safety, such as the maneuverability of cargo-carrying vehicles and the vulnerability of motorcycle drivers. One conclusion that seemed to come to was the fact that drivers need to make the roads safer by starting with themselves. He also points out that things like blinkers should be used because they are necessary for communication, people should not stereotype drivers, and that drivers should not take out their emotions on others. Stephen also talked about how trying to teach other drivers lessons in an aggressive manner are usually ineffective.

Anonymous – This person did a similar thing like Stephen. S/he illuminated important ideas within the discussions: people should take responsibility for their emotions, blaming is not a solution, many drivers do not know that their driving is dangerous, police should be in unmarked vehicles and every citizen should be able to report the license plate of an aggressive vehicle, and that road rage is caused by many factors. This person came to the conclusion that people writing to newsgroups are very motivated and impassioned to do so.

Greg Suguitan – This person also seemed to dissect the discussions of the people in the newsgroups. The things he pointed out were that aggression takes place everywhere,  there is no clear answer as to whether cell phones should be illegalized, driving a car takes many skills, driving at an old age is pretty dangerous, women drivers are far from innocent, traffic accidents are costly, and that people should let go of their anger. The conclusion that he came to was that newsgroups are very informative and easy to access, and that they provide valuable insight into current issues that regular newspapers do not.

 (b) Discuss your reactions to what they did – their ideas, their method, and their explanations. What did they gain from doing their reports? How do their ideas influence what you yourself think about these issues?

I really enjoyed reading the newsgroups and the students’ comments. Their comments were what I imagine I would say. I enjoyed reading Greg’s report the best because he gave comprehensive answers and really seemed into the assignment. The students seemed to gain insight into a valuable resource on the internet, and a chance to apply what they learned in Dr. James’ course to real life situations and opinions. They positively influenced what I think about these issues because they brought new perspectives to what I have learned this entire semester. I think it’s important to be open to what other people stand on issues.

(c) Now go to some driving newsgroups by Googling the phrase driving newsgroups. See if you can corroborate the conclusions of the student reports which were done several years ago. Is this still going on the same way?

I think that for the most part, driving newsgroups are pretty much the same. It just goes to show that a lot of people have the same attitudes with driving and that not much has changed since then. There were still some positive comments, however, that gave input on how to improve the safety of the road which was nice to see.

 

The Question I am answering is Question 4:

(a) Consider Table 5 in the Lecture Notes, in the Section on Driving Psychology Theory and Charts at www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy24/409a-g24-lecture-notes.htm#Charts. Read the article from which the Table was taken. Copy and paste the table into your file. Describe the Table in your own words: what is for, what it says, what it shows.

Table 5 below lists 10 driver competence skills that constitute emotionally intelligent driving. For each of these skills, there is an example of what an aggressive, emotionally unintelligent driver would say, and an example of what a supportive, emotionally intelligent driver would say.

Emotionally intelligent attitudes involve taking responsibility for one’s thoughts and emotions. They also possess and understanding of the threefold self, and catch signs of aggression as soon as the “seeds are planted.” Supportive drivers understand the future implications of their actions, and avoid choices that may endanger others or themselves. They see driving education as a lifelong endeavor and always strive to become better, wiser drivers. They view driving as a collective activity and are always seeking to help others. Emotionally intelligent drivers model positive driving behaviors.

Emotionally un-intelligent attitudes involve blaming others for making one feel or think a certain way. They do not know about, or choose to ignore the threefold self, and behave according to their animalistic urges. Aggressive drivers are in the moment; they fail to recognize what may happen as a result of their careless, self-serving actions. They let negative thoughts and feelings escalate. Emotionally un-intelligent drivers do not view their driving as in need of any improvement; they see others as the ones who should improve or be removed from the road. These drivers only care about themselves and view others on the road as obstacles. They model negative driving behaviors.

Table 5
Emotionally Intelligent Driver Personality Skills

 

 (b) Copy the Table again and paste it again. But this time delete the examples in each cell and replace them with your own examples that you make up. Title this Section: My Version of the Table. Explain what your table shows and how you came up with it. Discuss your Table with friends. Summarize their reactions. Summarize your reactions to their reactions.

My table shows what the original Table 5 shows, but with different examples. I came up with my examples by placing myself in the shoes of both an aggressive and supportive driver. These concepts are familiar to me, so I found it pretty easy to imagine what each person would say in each role.

I discussed this table with two of my friends. They did not really get it at first, so I had to tell them about the threefold self and about driving psychology in general. I basically explained that Reptilian Driving is the unhealthy way to be and that Cortical Driving is the healthy way to be. I also told them that becoming an emotionally intelligent driver meant acquiring the driver competence skills.

Both of them seemed open to learning about these things. I don’t think that they fully understood it, but I think it opened the door for them to start thinking about their own driving habits. My reaction to their reactions was that I was happy that they did not reject this table and say that it was stupid. They seemed very open-minded about it, and remind me of how I was when I first started this course.  

 

My Version of the Table

 

(c) Discuss why driving is such a big problem in all societies and why no effective solutions have yet been found for them. Refer to our two textbooks for examples of some of the world wide problems and solutions proposed. Be sure to refer to the author and page numbers.  What likelihood is there that his approach will be adopted? Explain.

Driving is such a prevalent problem in society because I don’t believe that people have an understanding of its implications. Because aggressive driving is a cultural norm, most people do not see it as a serious issue. No effective solutions have been found for them for many reasons.

First, I don’t believe that driving on the road will ever be problem free. As long as people are in control of the vehicles they drive, they will continue to make mistakes, and therefore contribute to the unpredictable nature of the road. Injury and death are inevitable to some degree. However, I felt that the amount of suffering is immense, and needs to be greatly reduced.

There are many solutions that have been proposed by our textbooks. I think the most important ones are the ideas of lifelong driver education and the AWM system for behavioral change. Both of these things give people the knowledge of the problem and how this applies to them, as well as a means by which to improve their driving (or future driving).

The likelihood that Dr. James’ approach will be adopted by everyone is impossible. However, there are not enough people advocating for his ideas because they are revolutionary. I do think that many of the people who have and will take his courses will adopt these approaches, and introduce the people they know to them. Thus, even if only a small number (relative to the world) of people adopt these approaches, it is a great thing because lives will be saved and accidents prevented. In order for there to be great change, there need to be more people like Dr. James. I see each generation as having the responsibility to aid in his effort. Therefore, I think that there will be some changes that will increase throughout time. And finally Dr. James should not be allowed to retire until he has made sure someone else will be teaching this course! J

 

The Question I am answering is Question 5:

(a) Our textbook Road Rage and Aggressive Driving has checklist exercises in several chapters. Do the following four exercises:

I. Exercise on Aggressive Thoughts and Feelings on p. 65-66

Driving Area 1: Fantasies of Retaliation and Revenge

1.      ___ When others cut in front of me so that I have to break, I feel like crashing into them to teach them a lesson.

2.      ___ When I encounter road- hugging pedestrians, I feel like pushing them out of my way.

3.      _X_ When drivers become aggressive by tailgating me, I enjoy slowing down to pay them back.

4.      ___ When I’m under stress due to work, I get very edgy and take it out on other drivers.

5.      _X_ I don’t think passengers should tell me how to drive and I let them know when they try.

6.      ___ If motorists around me act cocky and drive recklessly, I get into a rebellious mood.

7.      ___ I passionately hate drivers who think they are the only ones on the road and act carelessly.

8.      ___ When a driver cuts me off and slows down, I feel like ramming that car.

9.      ___ I get nasty thoughts about drivers who force their way into my lane, especially without signaling.

10.  ___ I feel like ramming them to smarten them up about doing dangerous things (eating, putting on makeup, reading, talking on the phone, etc.) while they should be paying attention to the road.

11.  ___ When people run or walk on the shoulder of the highway I feel like swerving toward them to scare them off the road for good.

12.  ___ When slow cyclists take up a whole lane so that I can’t pass and refuse to move when I honk, I feel like whipping by so close they lose their balance and fall.

Driving Area 2: High- Pressure Driving and Competition

13.  ___ When a car gets in my way I don’t like it and try to get around it even if it means taking some risks.

14.  ___ In heavy traffic I feel a constant desire to weave across lanes, trying to get ahead.

15.  ___ I’m a “gap closer” and I make sure no one enters my lane in front of me.

16.  ___ When I’m late, I have no patience and tailgate slower motorists in my way.

17.  ___If it was up to me, I’d have everybody else get off the road until I pass- like the president.

18.  ___I like the idea of saluting careless drivers “with respect” (flipping them off with my hand safely out of view under the dashboard).

19.  ___ I don’t have respect for drivers who forget to turn their blinkers on or off.

Driving Area 3: Impulsive and Reckless Driving

20.  ___ Showing off to friends is something I do because I am expected to take risks and not act like a coward.

21.  ___I enjoy loud, fast music while I drive- lets me feel free!

22.  ___When I drive late at night and the road is clear, I like to go fast no matter what the signs say.

23.  ___ When I’m in a rush and upset I cut in front of cars and rush through yellow lights.

24.  _X_ If I had a few drinks but feel alright, I take the chance and drive home anyway.

25.  _X_ When I’m tired I become less alert, but I still need to drive. I have no choice.

26.  ___ Going through red lights should only be done when you’re absolutely sure there are no cars that can show up in your way.

27.  ___ I love to hear the tires screech when I take turns fast. It’s a nice sound. Makes me feel alive. 

II. Exercise on Are You an Aggressive Competitor on p. 104-5

1.      ___ I really hate it when traffic is congested and I can’t get ahead of others because I feel like I’m losing.

2.      ___I’ve discovered that I can force my way into any lane by being pushy.

3.      ___ I believe the law that prevails on the road is the law of the jungle- we might as well face it: the most aggressive drivers end up getting what they want.

4.      _X_ I’m driving in the left lane in heavy traffic and trying to switch lanes to the right lane to make a right turn at the next intersection. The driver in the car next to me sees my signal and closes the gap, preventing me from entering the lane. I miss my turn as a result. This proves that he purposely kept me out.

5.      ___I love it when I pass a long line of waiting cars, then when I cut in front of the line. Victory! Only losers wait in line.

6.      ___ A lot of drivers can see that I’m in a hurry. So what do they do? They intentionally try to slow me down or block my way. That’s how they get their kicks.

7.      ___ I need lots of space between me and everyone behind me. I’m a natural leader, so I feel best when I’m way out in front.

8.      ___ When traffic is heavy, drivers have to compete against each other or else one gets left behind. The better you compete one the road, the better you can do your job, and the more useful you are to society.

9.      ___ It’s necessary to drive in a competitive manner because the other drivers are very competitive. I’m expected to be competitive on the road.

10.  ___ As the streets are getting more crowded, drivers make each other angry. It’s a competitive situation and I can’t afford to worry too much about how my driving makes others angry because we all make each other angry.

III. Exercise on Positive Driving Behaviors on p. 212-3

1.      _X_ Putting on the turn signal in consideration of others; thinking of how to reduce stress for others.

2.      _X_ Feeling responsible for creating a stress for other road users; wanting to evolve an altruistic attitude in traffic.

3.      ___ Concentrating on developing better on-ramp merging skills by focusing on leaving enough space to pickup speed.

4.      _X_ Creating positive mental scenarios and avoiding pessimism; saying, “Traffic is not too bad. I’ll just relax,” versus “Traffic is awful. I’ll never get home.”

5.      _X_ Driving with greater awareness; understanding the differences in peoples’ expectations in the left and right lanes; consciously managing following distance to keep it safe, following the three second rule.

6.      _X_ Consciously practicing how to handle common obstacles to traffic flow; for instance, when a lane is closed and merging is required.

7.      _X_ Compensating for the “blind spot” by always using both side and rearview mirrors and turning your head for better view.

8.      _X_ Merging properly when a lane is closed by remaining in your lane until reaching the merging point.

9.      _X_ Learning to avoid mental violence as retaliation; not letting frustration lead to aggressiveness and hostility.

10.  _X_ Avoiding the symbols of competition in driving, like racing to get there first, wanting to pass all cars, feeling ridiculed when a lot of cars pass you, impulsively cutting in.

11.  ___ Practicing nodding instead of shaking your head at traffic.

12.  _X_ Recognizing higher motivations in driving, like fairness, civility, morality, altruism, religion, or spirituality.

13.  ___ Giving up a “laissez- faire” attitude toward other drivers, such as “What’s happening to that driver is not my problem.”

14.  _X_ Being willing to figure things out ahead of time, like how late to leave, when to turn, which way to go, when to change lanes, with the goal of avoiding making unpredictable, impulsive moves that other drivers can’t interpret.

IV. Exercise on Your Passive Aggressive Road Rage Tendency on p. 88-9

1.      ___ I insist on driving at the speed limit in the passing lane because it’s the law.

2.      ___ I hold up a long line of drivers on a one- lane road.

3.      ___ I ignore drivers who try to enter my lane, closing the gap.

4.      ___ I ignore yield signs.

5.      ___ I don’t bother giving proper signals.

6.      ___ I am slow to get going when traffic lights turn green.

7.      ___ I show insufficient alertness or consideration to drivers and conditions.

8.      _X_ I repeatedly tap the breaks or slow way down to retaliate against a tailgater.

9.      ___ I take my time entering and leaving parking spaces, especially when someone is waiting for me.

10.  ___ I make gestures and facial expressions to myself to show my disapproval of pushy drivers.

 

Q. 5 (b) Discuss your reactions to each exercise? How do you explain your answers? You can give your answers in their entirety or you can make selections. What do they show about your driving personality? Where did you get this style of reacting and driving? Discuss how these exercises help you to become more aware of yourself as a driver.

Aggressive Thoughts and Feelings Exercise

In Driving Area 1: Fantasies of Retaliation and Revenge, I qualified for two of the items. The first one was “When drivers become aggressive by tailgating me, I enjoy slowing down to pay them back.” The second one was “I don’t think passengers should tell me how to drive and I let them know when they try.”

I think these answers have to do with me feeling like someone else is forcing me to do something. I tend to rebel when I feel as if I am being coerced into doing something. In this case, drivers usually tailgate me because I don’t drive way above the speed limit, so I think they do that in order to speed me up. They think that intimidating me is the best way to accomplish this. In return, I “play stupid” and slow down. I guess I have the attitude that aggressive drivers can be aggressive on the road without bothering me, but when they try to get me to accommodate their reckless way of driving, I will not have any of it.

I think I got this habit from the fact that I got into a bad car accident five or six years ago. I’m still a little traumatized from the accident, so driving often feels stressful for me. When someone tries to stress me out even more, I get very upset.

In Driving Area 2: High Pressure Driving and Competition, I did not mark any of the items. I don’t feel competitive at all when I drive because I don’t want to take risks. Furthermore, I see that I make many mistakes as a driver so I don’t carry an attitude of superiority that goes along with being pushy and competitive. I think I got this style of driving from my parents who aren’t competitive drivers in the least. They usually accept their circumstances on the road and don’t get upset; they understand that nothing they do is really going to change the situation.

For Driving Area 3: Impulsive and Reckless Driving, I checked off “If I had a few drinks but feel alright, I take the chance and drive home anyway.” I also checked off “When I’m tired I become less alert, but I still need to drive. I have no choice.” I can relate to both of these because in each situation, it’s a matter of convenience. I’m too poor to spend money on taxis left and right, but I still want to have a good time once in a great while. This entails being tired and sometimes a little buzzed when I drive. If someone would sponsor taxis for me, I would be more than happy to accept the funds. I guess I just need to make a choice between jeopardizing my safety and spending an extra 30 bucks for each time I go out. I think that most people would have checked off these two questions. It is a fact of life that most people drive tired and have driven with alcohol in their systems.

Aggressive Competitor Exercise

I marked one item for this exercise. It was the item that described the belief that someone who “closed the gap,” preventing you from getting in their lane did it on purpose. I marked this because I think that this is often the case. I guess I should not assume, however, because maybe they just didn’t see me.

I think I got this attitude just from what I have seen on the road. People do tend to be competitive and only out for themselves. I guess I should just give people the benefit of the doubt if this happens, and just assume that they were not aware of my intentions.

Positive Driving Behavior Exercise

I marked off all but two of the items in this exercise. I guess I’m a pretty supportive driver. The ones I did not select were the items about developing better on-ramp merging skills and giving up the “laissez-faire” attitude. I guess these are areas that I could start working on. Also, I think my sensorimotor skills could stand to improve some. I don’t tend to excel when in comes to things like merging. In fact, I hate merging because it’s scary!

I do have an attitude that what other drivers do is not my problem. I guess the right attitude to have would be to try to help others as much as possible, because sometimes I block out other drivers when I am trying to fend for myself. I’m not sure where I got this attitude. I would guess that it’s the cultural norm feel this way, though.

Passive Aggressive Road Rage Exercise

I marked off the tapping the breaks and slowing down to retaliate against a tailgater item. This relates to how I don’t like to feel pressured to drive any other way than how I’m driving, which stems from my car accident trauma.

What I learned from these exercises: I learned that I am actually a pretty decent driver when it comes to looking out for others, and keeping my cool on the road. However, these exercises served as a deep reminder that I still have several areas in which I could stand to improve, such as feeling more comfortable on the road and with receiving passenger feedback. Another behavior that I should change is rebelling against tailgaters. I do not know how mad they will get, and it’s best not to take the risk.

 (c) Do some of the exercises with another driver you know. How do they help you understand some principles of driving psychology mentioned in the book? Discuss and illustrate with specific examples.

I had my boyfriend do all of these exercises, which confirmed that he is definitely a road-rager, but not as bad as I thought. His doing the exercises helped me to understand some of the concepts such as the Jekyll and Hyde syndrome on the road (where very kind people are monsters behind the wheel). I thought the items he checked off regarding his cognitions were pretty funny, because he would never usually have such negative thoughts about other people in another circumstance.

The exercises themselves aided in helping me comprehend the driving psychology principles because they made them real to me. Each of the items was an example instead of just a concept, so it kind of brought the driving psychology ideas to life. I’m not really an aggressive driver, so it was really interesting to read these items, because I know that they represent the societal driving norm.

 

The Question I am answering is Question 6:

 (a) Search the Web and the University of Hawaii Library Electronic Resources of full text journals to find out what is known about how cell phone use affects people's driving. Summarize some of this literature. Be sure you have articles from both the Web and the Library Electronic Journals Databases. Give the full reference and link for each article.

I have read several articles and studies from the electronic journals and the web about cell phones and driving. Here are short summaries for some of them:

For the first three links, the only way to access the article is if you go to http://dx.doi.org and type in the DOI number provided in the text box:

 

1. A study by Amado and Ulupinar suggests that talking on a cell phone and having a conversation with a passenger both slow reaction time and have a detrimental effect on attention. Therefore, conversation itself is a risk while on the road.

Link: http://dx.doi.org

DOI: doi:10.1016/j.trf.2005.05.001

 

 

2.  A study by Beede and Kass demonstrated that talking on a hands-free cell phone impaired driving performance (attention, response time, traffic violations, and driving maintenance).  Once again, it seems the sensorimotor aspect is not as degraded as the cognitive aspect of driving.

 

Link: http://dx.doi.org

 

DOI: doi:10.1016/j.aap.2005.10.015

 

 

3. A study by Horberry and Anderson et. Al was a general study on the effects of distraction on driving. All distractions seemed to negatively affect driving performance, but the entertainment system distraction was the worst.

 

Link: http://dx.doi.org

 

DOI: doi:10.1016/j.aap.2005.09.007

 

 

4. An article overview of a Harvard study on the web discussed the risks but also pointed out the benefits (which may outweigh the risks) of cell phone use while driving included “peace of mind” and “expanded productive time.” The article seemed against government banning of vehicle cell phone use. Of course, the study was funded by AT&T Wireless, so it may have been biased towards that conclusion.

 

Link: www.hsph.harvard.edu/press/releases/press07242000.html

 

5. In an article, Brian Knowles points out that individuals should be capable of making decisions with regards to using their cell phones, despite the obvious

risk.

 

 (b) Use the theory in the Lecture Notes to explain what drivers need to learn about themselves in order to be able to handle the proper use of cell phones while driving. Is it better to train drivers to use cell phones properly or is it better to outlaw the use of any cell phones while driving? Discuss the solutions.

Most drivers view driving only in the sensorimotor sense. They do not fully realize that things like using cell phones while driving affects your cognitive and affective selves as well. As these studies suggest, cell phone use in the car seems to be dangerous, not because one hand is removed from the wheel, but because your attention is diverted away from the road and towards the conversation at hand. Thus, you may be caught up in thoughts and feelings completely unrelated to the driving environment, which can jeopardize your own and others’ safety.

As we have learned in this class and other psychology courses, perception in humans is often subjective, and affected by things like expectation and prior experience. This can be dangerous in an unpredictable setting like the road, where people have to make decisions based on often faulty perceptions. While using the cell phone, perceptions are even further impaired because your attentional resources are being used towards your conversation.

However, these studies and articles also bring light to the fact that cell phones are not the only danger. Other things, such as playing with the car’s stereo, having a conversation with a passenger, eating while driving or putting on makeup can be just as dangerous. Thus, I do not believe that cell phones on the road should be illegalized. In fact, in our book Driving Lessons, the chapter on cell phones makes a very good point: Cell phones are an asset under emergency circumstances, as well as when communication is necessary (e.g. alleviating the urge to drive like a maniac when late, because you can call wherever you need to be and let them know that you are running late. This would give you the peace of mind that the Harvard study article speaks about).

In my mind, the best solution would involve education. People would learn about the driving threefold-self and then make a commitment to restrict their cell phone use in the car. For instance, it is alright to use the cell phone in the car, but only if it is an urgent situation. Casual conversations, “catching up,” gossiping, and romantic chatter can wait until you are out of the vehicle. This may be hard to do at first. However, I think telling all your family and friends that you have this rule will make it easier for you to not answer your phone when you hear it ring. You will not have guilty feelings. It may even encourage them to make the change in their own lives. Better yet, you can turn your phone off altogether while driving.

This type of rule should not only apply to cell phones. It should also apply to other car distractions, like changing the radio station. You could make a rule for yourself with that, such as to only change the radio station when you are waiting at a red light. Or to wake up five minutes earlier just so that you have enough time to put on your makeup before you leave your hours. Wake up 15 minutes earlier if you want time to eat so that you don’t have to eat in your car. Now that I think about it, my major car accident was due to me being distracted looking for my earring, and the one recently where I bumped the back of someone’s car was because I was eating a plate lunch. (And you think I’d know better, being in this class!)

 

My Report on the Previous Generation

Add a Section called "My Report on the Previous Generation." Select two students from G22 and two from G23, and summarize what they did for their Report 2. Their class folders are at:  www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409as2005/  and  www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409af2005/

 

Generation 22 Reports:

 

1. Jason Dicho’s Report 2

 

Jason discusses some of the tables in the lecture notes by reviewing the threefold self and the various driving levels that people are at depending on their understanding and use of the threefold self. He added in personal examples in his tables. My favorite one is in the Personal Behavior Domains of Driving table. For sensorimotor skill he put “’Come on in, bradah!’ (Shaka, Driving Aloha).”

 

Jason also talks about how he needs to catch himself when he gets irritable on the road. He then goes on to compare and contrast the two websites, http://www.drdriving.org and http://www.drivers.com. The main differences between the two websites were as follows: The Dr. Driving website was more empirically and educationally-oriented, user-friendly, and had greater substance and links. The drivers.com website was geared towards consumers and had newsletters.

 

Jason then summarized six student reports from previous generations. It was interesting to read them because they took different approaches, even if some of them had the same questions.

 

Following this, Jason filled in Table 5 with his own examples. He explained that he thought that problems with driving exist because of cultural norms, and because people are ignorant of the dangers of their driving. He then talks about how he does not feel that Dr. James’ proposed solutions will materialize because of people do not understand the seriousness of driving accidents and road rage.

 

Then Jason did exercises in the Road Rage book. He seemed to have a problem with speeding, and not being attentive to passenger needs. He proposed solutions for his problems that I thought were really good. They seemed to surround the issue of control: being in control over his own actions and emotions and letting go of things in which he cannot control.

 

After this, he recounts the presentations of several of his classmates. These presentations were about cell phone use while driving, driver skill improvement, and international car accident fatalities.

Jason concludes his report with advice to future students: that the course is not as demanding as it seems.

 

 

2. Malia Tarayao’s Report 2

 

Malia also starts out talking about the threefold self and summarizing what the Lecture Notes tables mean. She filled in the tables with examples pertaining to her own driving habits. She mapped out a plan to improve her driving. First, she will focus on are de-conditioning herself to not judge other drivers, Then she will work on becoming a more supportive driver.

Next, she discusses the differences between http://www.drdriving.org and http://www.drivers.com. Some of her observations were similar to Jason’s. She remarked that the Dr. Driving website was more simple, and targeted a younger, more widespread audience versus an older, car-oriented audience.

Malia then summarized six reports of previous generations. She did not really go much into detail about their reports; she basically discussed the formatting and content. She generally concurred with the conclusions that the other students came to in their reports.

After her report summaries, Malia changed Table 5 of the Lecture notes and added her own examples, which seemed on-target. She identified diversity and emotionality as reasons why driving is such a large societal problem. The solutions of Dr. James that resonated with her were to maintain a positive attitude while on the road and witnessing one’s behavior. She does not feel that it’s likely that people will take on (or even find out about) Dr. James’ suggestions.

Malia did several of the exercises in the Road Rage book. In her first exercise, she exposed the irrationality of aggressive driving attitudes. Possible remedies she came up with revolved around a light-hearted attitude. In the activity where she compares her perceptions of her driving with a passenger’s perceptions, she felt that they were pretty similar. Overall, although she believes that she is a good driver, she also feels there are things that she could still work on to become a better driver.

Then Malia summarized three classmates’ presentations, where were about truck driving, lifelong driver education, and the Roadrageous video course.

And finally, Malia recommended to future generations that they follow Dr. James’ instructions and not procrastinate.

 

Generation 23 Reports:

1. Jenine Goto’s Report 2

Jenine started off her report by summarizing Road Rage and Driving Lessons. She then picked two chapters from each book and talked about them. Chapter 4 of Road Rage was about the various types of road rage. I liked this one also. It was interesting because you always imagine road rage to be this one thing, but there are many forms of it. Chapter 7 in Driving Lessons was about the risks involved with driving depending on your age and skill level. These chapters inspired her to start making some changes in her own negative driving habits.

Jenine then contrasted http://www.drdriving.org and http://www.drivers.com. Her observations were very similar to Malia and Jason’s’. She differed from them in saying that the both websites were geared towards similar audiences. She also liked the Dr. Driving website the best.

She then summarized three Generation 15 student reports. All three seemed to use the AWM approach with modifying their behaviors. She enjoyed these reports and felt that they positively influenced her.

After her summaries, she filled in Table 5 of the Lecture notes with her own examples which I thought were very good.

She goes on to talk about how driving is a huge problem in our society because of people’s selfishness. She believes that it is only getting worse. She also thinks that people are generally satisfied with their driving style. She mentioned lifelong driver education and raising awareness as being key components to solving this problem. More optimistically then the students above, she believes that these suggestions will be considered, but it may take a long time.

Jenine covers the exercises that she did in the Road Rage book. She admitted to being a very aggressive driver and that she needs improvement. She also discovered that she is much more of an aggressive driver than her boyfriend.

She then summarizes previous generations’ student reports. She addresses their readability, what they learned from the course, and future advice that they have for other students.

Jenine’s future advice for students is to not procrastinate (as she did and suffered for it) and also to be prepared in class.

 

2. Yu Takebayashi’s Report 2

Yu started out summarizing student reports from previous generations. Besides talking about the basic content of each report, she put what she liked about each of them.

She also voiced what she liked in her two summaries of the course textbooks. In Road Rage, she noted that she really liked the checklist and the examples. She liked Driving Lessons much more than Road Rage because the latter was much more user-friendly. Yu summarizes chapter 6 of the Road Rage book. This chapter was about the AWM system for behavioral change. Chapter 5 of Driving Lessons was about how one’s social life can mix with driving for a dangerous result. She felt that this chapter related to her.

Yu then compared http://www.drdriving.org and http://www.drivers.com. She made the same observations as other students and also liked the Dr. Driving website better.

After this, Yu summarized three Generation 15 reports. She talked about how she liked all three of their methods and conclusions. She learned from these reports that she needs to better manage her anger and emotions, and have a more positive attitude.

Yu then filled in Table 5 of the Lecture notes with her own examples.

She went on to attribute society’s driving problems to both internal and external factors. She cites mood, pride, traffic, time, and unforeseen circumstances as being possible contributors. She believes that the solution to these problems lies in making the AWM system a requirement in Drivers Education courses.

The last question Yu answered dealt with the exercises in the Road Rage book. These exercises helped her want to make changes in her own life with aggressive driving thoughts and feelings; not just towards other drivers, but also the passengers in her vehicle. Her brother seemed to be more of an aggressive driver than her.

She did not have any advice for future generations, which kind of disappointed me. I really like reading that section of each of the reports.

 

Advice to Future Generations

 

After answering the five questions, add a Section called Advice to Future Generations. Tell them what they should know to succeed in this course and what they can expect to get out of it.

 

In order to succeed in this course, one must really be proactive by keeping up with the readings and starting reports several weeks in advance, especially Report 2. Be prepared when you come to class, having read all the oral presentation materials for the week.

 

More importantly, my advice is to really apply this course to your every day life. It’s one thing to learn about the material, but actually taking the time to improve your driving habits and helping others out is the real challenge. I found the exercises and checklists in the Road Rage book to be extremely helpful in the application of driving psychology.

 

Despite the things I have learned in the course, I still have repeated unsafe habits, such as “dashboard dining” and having unnecessary conversations on my cell phone while driving. This past week, however, I really have tried to make a commitment to being the safest, most patient and supportive driver that I can possibly be. I will continue to do this and others should really do the same!

My Homepage: http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409as2006/macdonald/macdonald-home.htm

Class Homepage:  www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy24/classhome-g24.htm