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PSY409a January 21, 2007
Crash Course to PSY409a
By Tiffany Akiyama
 
Instructions for this activity are found at:
http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy26/g26-oral1.htm
Instructor: Dr. Leon James
 
Leon James & Diane Nahl (2007). Driving Psychology Lecture Notes For G26. (Lecture Notes Version 8a). Online at: http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy26/409a-g26-lecture-notes.htm. Reviewing Generation 21 Student Reports on Driving Psychology (Le, Park, Sansaver, Hoang, Hanai, Azama, Razon, Greer, Duclos, Higa).
 
  1. Road Rage (by Dr. Leon James and Dr. Diane Nahl)
    1. Helps guide and advise on how to improve driving skills through the 'threefold self'
      1. Driver 'threefold self' is influenced by a driver's environment
      2. Parts of the 'threefold self'
        1. Affective Self (emotions, the "director")
          1. Mental domain of feelings and motivations
          2. Example for aggressive drivers: feelings of anger, retaliation, and fairness
        2. Cognitive Self (affective self's "puppet master")
          1. Mental domain of thinking and reasoning
          2. Influenced by the affective self as to which is the best course of action
          3. Helps to fulfill affective self's desires
        3. Sensorimotor Self (cognitive self's "puppet")
          1. Physical domain of senses and actions
          2. Uses the body to excecute the decisions made by the cognitive self
      3. How the 'threefold self' influences the 9 levels of the driver
        1. Three main levels exist, each with three sub-levels
          1. Proficiency (based on a supportive driver)
            1. Affective: staying calm despite any circumstances
            2. Cognitive: staying rational and supportive under any circumstances
            3. Sensorimotor: keeping the vehicle under control under any circumstances
          2. Safety (for self and everyone around)
            1. Affective: being and remaining motivated towards safety at all times
            2. Cognitive: use of one's mental ability to assess risks and courses of action to be excecuted in conjunction of affective motivations
            3. Sensorimotor: Acting on decisions made by cognitive self while remaining vigilant and in control of vehicle
          3. Responsibility (holding self accountable for actions with consequences)
            1. Affective: to include other drivers in your motivations
            2. Cognitive: make supportive decisions, not selfish ones
            3. Sensorimotor: creating a supportive driving environment that one finds enjoyable
    2. Explains how road rage and agressive driving is a 'social epidemic'
    3. Helps people to acquire a self-witness
    4. To acquire change means the driver has completed the '3-step driver self-improvement program'
      1. Acknowledge the existance of one's road rage
      2. Become your own witness to your own "crime" (road rage)
      3. Chose to modify behavior you want to change
        1. One behavior at a time
        2. A continous process
    5. Learns that 'Emotional Intelligence' exist as you drive
      1. Pulling the trigger (to road rage)
        1. When there's a sense of escalating emotions
        2. Attributes a driver's negative behavioro and takes it personal
        3. Road rage is determined by rationalizations and self-righteous justifications
          1. Causes people to be protective of their challenged belief/values
          2. Causes retaliation and aggression
      2. Transformation from "oppositional thinking" to "supportive thinking"
        1. Oppositional thinking is a negative orientation (antisocial)
          1. Constantly blame, punish, and retaliate
        2. Supportive thinking is a positive orientation (pro-social)
          1. Focuses on oneself ("me" and "my" feelings)
          2. Takes responsibility
        3. The purpose for this transition is to help change the 'bad mood' that will affect how you drive
      3. Self-witnessing
        1. To develope a dual perception of self
        2. Form of self-questioning to reduce emotional intensity (aggressive emotions)
        3. Provides time for aggressive emotions to die down
        4. Allows the driver to realize consequences, leave the rage, and restore emotional "homeostatsis"
        5. Main goal is to become aware of your aggressive self because everyone has one
  2. Driving Lessons: Exploring Systems That Make Traffic Safer (edited by J. Peter Rothe)
    1. Provides information on different system developments for traffic safety
    2. Written based on facts that driving recklessly may lead to injury, loss, or death
    3. Seeks to encourage drivers to change their driving behaviors to make roads safer
    4. Explains how driving is a social act that depends on adherance to rules
    5. Contains articles that reflect a "loose design-systems theory that served as the original ideas for the conference (Traffic Safety Summit '98)" (Bridgette Duclos, page 2)
    6. The book is a collection of different authors who encourage intervention/prevention strategies for traffic safety
    7. Focuses on the influence of speed management, traffic safety, etc. as factors for speed and speeding accidents
  3. drivers.com versus drdriving.org
    1. drivers.com
      1. By PDE Publications (Canadian Company)
      2. Informational articles
      3. Somewhat short and easy to read
      4. Very professional and well organized
      5. More for professional drivers
      6. Perhaps targets younger generation
      7. Several broad topics
      8. Informative
        1. A husband in the Unity Model becomes quarrelsome when a "touchy" issue arises due to him not having resolved that personal issue
        2. A husband in the Equity Model gets frutrated with "bartering" and yells at his wife saying, "It WILL BE DONE this way BECAUSE I SAY SO!"
    2. drdriving.org
      1. By Dr. James and Dr. Nahl
      2. Lots of information
      3. Longer articles
      4. Sections for different aspects of driving
        1. News stories
        2. Links related to different aspects of driving
        3. Variety of resources
      5. Targets a general audience of all ages
      6. Preventative/improvement "self-help"
      7. Most students preffered this site over drivers.com
 
Lecture Notes Perspective
Throughout Generation 21's reports, there's a lot of emphasis on the driver's threefold self. The threefold self based on their reports, and our lecture notes has three components: the driver's "affective self," "cognitive self," and "sensorimotor self." Each is always playing a part in a driver's action, and is constantly interacting with the other. The sensorimotor actions of a driver entails things such as, tailgaiting, letting a pedestrian cross the street, flicking people off, letting people merge in front, etc. These actions are controlled by the cognitive thought that gives justification for the sensorimotor actions. For example, if Person A "cuts-off" Person B, then Person B may think to himself, "Who the hell does this person thinks he is cutting me off. He is not the "KING" of the road. I'll show him who he's messing with. (then Person B, tailgaits Person A)" The justification is the "He is not the "KING" of the road," idealization that is placed upon Person A. It gives Person B justification and reason to think that Person A is thinking selfishly of himself and should be taught a lesson. This type of cognitive reasoning is brought into effect based on a driver's affective thought/motivations. For this specific scenario, Person's B affective motivation is to "show him who he's messing with." The objective for the cognitive self is to fulfill the demands/wishes/desires of the affective thought through influencing sensorimotor actions.
 
Related Links:
CNN - Experts say ignorance contributes to road rage - August 26, 1997
http://www.cnn.com/US/9708/26/road.ignorance/
This is a 1997 article written by correspondent, Kathleen Koch, who acknowledges the seriousness of how "road rage" (at that time) is detrimental to the safety of the streets and the drivers. She also mentions that if it is not taken care of currently, it could lead to roadways being "battle zones." This article acknowledges that there are many external factors that contribute to this rage. One being that roadways are more crowded, and people are under more pressure to get from one place to another. But the main cause pointed out in this article is the combination of "ignorance and bad manners." Koch explains how most of this is due to the lack of driver's education administered to those current drivers, and how a partial solution is that there should be an increase in driver's education, and even courses that adults can attend. I found it interesting that such a topic of concern was mentioned, and should have opened doors, but it was most likely brushed upon the side. It's like what was mentioned in the start of class, of how there are not very many studies, or articles on road rage except accident statistics with drinking and driving so it's like "road rage" and the driver is a new concept. This just shows how ignorant people are of their own demons.
 
Comments on S.P. Bryan's, Emotional Intelligence and Intrapersonal Conversations
http://www.eiconsortium.org/research/comments_Bryan_emotional_intelligence_and_intrapersonal_conversations.htm
This is about a study on Emotional Intelligence involved in different aspects of life, studied at the Louisiana State University. A later study involves Emotional Intelligence and road rage. This study is conducted in a simulator that troopers train in. A participant is put through virtual situations that will bring out their emotions, thoughts, actions, and especially the physiological aspects of what happens when they become negatively emotional. This group of researchers wants to find ways to control road rage through positive IIs. Positive II's involve self-dialogue imagined interactions of an upcoming scenario. It's like self-rehearsing in front of a mirror. I thought this study was interesting because it's very similar to what I've read about Emotional Intelligence and the assessment of one's own driving behaviors in the Road Rage book and the lecture notes through generation 21. It makes me believe that there are small "elfs" trying to help Americans or people in general become aware of how serious emotions are tied to road rage.
 
Washington State Patrol - Aggressive Driving/Road Rage
http://www.wsp.wa.gov/traveler/roadrage.htm
This is a message written by Washington State Patrol's Chief John R. Batiste who is trying to educate and open the eyes of at least the people in Washington State on the issue of aggressive driving/road rage. He explains that the Washington State Patrol (WSP) has directed its resources to traffic law enforcement due to the seriousness of acts of aggressive driving/road rage. Chief Batiste includes a definition on aggressive driving and road rage based on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. He also explains WSP's course of action of trying to reduce this social issue. In the message, it is also explained what the people can do themselves to help decrease the occurance of aggressive driving/road rage. I thought the safety tips were interesting in this mesage because it seems like common sense. Such as "Allow plenty of time for the trip." or "When entering traffic or changing lanes, make sure that you have enough room." I usually do both of these on a regular basis because of how I was brought up and taught how to drive by my father. Although I know at times I may slip, such as leaving a little late, and depending on the event, I may drive with negative sensorimotor actions. Which is probably why these suggestions are not just brought up in Cheif Batiste's message, but also are suggestions in the Road Rage book and lecture notes of how to practice positive (supportive) emotional driving. It's like a reminder for those that may forget, and a new lesson for those that may not know of these "cardinal rules" of driving etiquette.
 
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Last Updated: 01/21/07
Tiffany Akiyama © Spring 2007