My Ninth Oral Outline

Road Rage as a Culture

This is a presentation of Theistic Psychology, By Leon James, Sections 10.2-10.3, 2005,

online book at: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/theistic

By Leticia Valle

Instructions for this oral presentation are found at:

www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy/g22-oral.htm

Three Concepts from Road Rage as a Culture:

1) Road Rage

a) Road rage begins with the general bad-temperedness, swearing, insulting others rude gestures, aggressive driving, speeding, and cutting others off.

- rage is tied to mental violence

- there is a desire to punish and retaliate

- ex: cut off the person who cut you off earlier while driving

b) My opinion

- This concept is relevant to our class because most of us are drivers

- road rage is an issue that should be observed and mediated more frequently because we affect so many others when we do it

- we have to give the other drivers the benefit of the doubt, or try to be understanding and place ourselves in their situation

c) Cultural and psychological aspects

- It is difficult to hold back from retaliation or punishment because it is accepted and expected while driving

- “How does it help me to retaliate?”

2) Research on Road Rage

a) There is a “status-seeking mentality” we have to deal with while driving.

- Deborah Tannen discovers that the public seems to prize aggression more so than cooperation

- Ned Megargee looked at how factors contributing to violence and aggressive behavior lies in “an individual’s motivational structure.” Feelings of aggression come with a host of other negative emotions, and violent acts increase with more favorable conditions and lowered inhibitions

b) My opinion

- just as other violent behaviors are influenced by parents, so is rage and aggressive driving influenced in our children

c) Cultural and psychological aspects

- I can often feel the expectation for me to drive fast and aggressive when I a vehicle with other aggressive drivers, as well as driving slower and more cautiously when a responsible driver is in the vehicle with me

3) Treating Road Rage with Swedenborg

a) Swedenborg shows that the influence of evil spirits affected our affective organ, us believing that these aggressive feelings are our own, slipping into our hells as soon as we step into our cars

- being aware of these negative feelings can help us face them and regenerate our character

- The Emotional Spin Cycle and Bridge Techniques will be extremely helpful in regenerating our character

b) My opinion

- I hadn’t thought of my emotions being controlled by evil spirits when getting into a vehicle

- there are different moods attached to different locations for everyone

- it can be easier to treat these negative emotions if we accept that they are not our own

c) Cultural and psychological aspects

- Realize that our children are affected by the behaviors we carry while driving, even from the back seat

Web Links related to topic: www.theheavenlydoctrines.org

www.research.fsu.edu/researchr/spring96/features/evil.html

www.personassessments.com/tests/mmpi_correct.htm

My Home Page: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/459s2005/valle/home.htm