My Driving Personality Makeover Project

By Hiroko Kikuchi

Instructions for this report can be found at: www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy20/g20lecturenotes409a.htm

1. Preface

In the repot 1 “Theory and Application”, I introduced some of the reports about the “driving psychology ” done by students in the previous generations. Then I talked about the definitions of the “driving psychology”, the purpose of the “driving psychology” and also the advantages of studying the “driving psychology” from my own perspectives. After the introduction, I went over basic, but very important definitions in the “driving psychology” such as “The driver's threefold Self”, “Self-witnessing methodology”, “The driver's emotional intelligence” and “Road rage” using examples and a diagram. I also had a chance to review about my own driving style and philosophy, and then I wrote an autobiography. The report1 gave me an opportunity to review and build my basic knowledge about the “driving psychology”, which I acquired from the lectures and information presented by classmates during the class.

You can read my report1 at:

http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/409as2004/kikuchi/report 1.htm

The purpose of the report 2 is to think and review about my driving styles and philosophy. Then I would take self-assessment tests from “Road Rage and Aggressive Driving”, written by Dr. James and Dr. Nah to find out and identify my driving habits and thoughts. After I found out about my driving habits, I would design programs to modify my target certain problematic behavior while I am driving a car. By accepting my problematic driving habits and modify that behavior, I can become a better and smarter driver on the road.

2. Introduction: Objective Self-assessment

I chose three tests from the “Road Rage and Aggressive Driving”, written by Dr. James and Dr. Nahl to discover various aspects of my threefold self as a driver on the road. Here are the tests and my results:

Test No.1

- To find out my hostile feelings when I am driving on the road, I have taken this test from the textbook.

Driving Area 1: Fantasies of Retaliation and Revenge (Pg.66)

- Check each statement that applies to you.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

X 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 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.

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

Scoring:

This checklist was design to identify high pressure driving and competition, and impulsiveness and reckless driving. However, it is useful to recognize feelings or sentiments while driving a car.

Reference:

James, Leon & Nahl, Diane. (2000a). Road Rage and Aggressive Driving: Steering Clear of Highway Warfare, Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.

Test No.2

- To find out my biased thoughts while I am driving a car, I have taken this test from the textbook:

Driving Area 2: High-Pressure Driving and Competition (Pg.66)

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

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

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

4. When I am late, I have no patience and I tailgate slower motorist in my way.

5. If it were up to me, I’d have everybody else get off the road until I pass – like the president.

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

X 7. I don’t have respect for drivers who forget to turn their blinkers on or off.

Driving Area 3: Impulsive and Reckless Driving (Pg.66)

8. Showing off friends is something I do because I’m expected to take risks and not act like a coward.

9. I enjoy loud, fast music when I drive – lets me feel free!

10. When I drive late at night and the road is clear, I like to g fast no matter what the sign say.

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

12. If I had a few drinks but feel all right, I take a chance and drive home anyway.

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

14. Going though red lights should only be done when you’re absolutely sure that tires screech when I take can slow up in your way.

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

Scoring:

This checklist was design to identify high pressure driving and competition, and impulsiveness and reckless driving. However, it is useful to recognize feelings or sentiments while driving a car.

Reference:

James, Leon & Nahl, Diane. (2000a). Road Rage and Aggressive Driving: Steering Clear of Highway Warfare, Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.

Test No.3

- To find out my aggressive actions while I’m driving a car, I have taken this test from the textbook:

Your Road Rage Tendency (Pg.40)

- For each statement, circle “Yes” if it applies to your reasonably well, or “No” if it doesn’t.

1.I swear a lot more in traffic than I do elsewhere.

YES

2.I normally have critical thoughts about other drivers.

YES

3.When a driver in a parking lot tries to steal the space I’ve been waiting for, I get furious.

YES

4. I fantasize about doing violence to other drivers (e.g., Using guns or blowing them up or sweeping them aside) – but its just fantasy.

5. When drivers do something really “stupid” that endangers me or my car, I get furious, even aggressive.

YES

6. It’s good to get your anger out because we all have aggressive feelings inside that naturally come out under stressful situations.

7. When I’m very upset about something, it’s a relief to step on the gas to give my feelings an outlet.

8. I feel that it’s important to force certain drivers to behave appropriately on the highway.

YES

9.Pedestrians shouldn’t have the right to walk slowly in crosswalks when cars are waiting.

10. Pushy drivers really annoy me so I bad-mouth them to feel better.

YES

11. I tailgate when someone drives too slow for conditions or in the passing lane.

12. I try to get to my destination in the shortest time possible, or else it doesn’t feel right.

13. If I stopped driving aggressively, others would take advantage of my passivity.

YES

14. I feel unpleasant emotions when someone beats me to the light or when someone gets through and I’m stuck on red.

15. I feel energize by the sense of power and competition I experience while driving aggressively.

16. I hate speed bumps and speed limits that are set too low.

17. Once in a while I get so frustrated in traffic that I begin to drive somewhat recklessly.

YES

18. I hate large trucks and I refuse to drive differently around them.

YES

19. Sometimes, I feel that I’m holding up traffic so I start driving faster than feels comfortable.

YES

20. I would feel embarrassed to “get stuck” behind a large vehicle on a steep road.

Scoring:

Receive 1 road rage point for every “Yes” answers.

- Less then 5 road rage points = Not an aggressive driver!

- Between 5 to 10 road rage points = Moderate road rage habits

- More than 10 road rage points = Road rage tendency is out of control!

After I took the test no.1 and looked over the result of the test no. 1 few times, I have realized that I am very selfish on the road. All the questions I checked marks involved in the situation where other people interrupt my way of driving. Therefore, the test made me realized that I tend to act like queen on the road when I am driving, and I get very annoyed when I have to deal with other drivers.

In the test no.2, I am pleased with my test result. I am relieved that I am not a reckless driver and I don’t have impulsive tendency. However, I still marked a check on the one question, so I need to think about it.

In the Test No.3, I have 10 “Yes” answers out 20 questions, and I have found out that I do have moderate road rage habits and I am very close to become a person with out of control road rage tendency! I was very surprised by this test very much because my score is really close to the person with out of control road rage, but I always though that I am very passive driver.

By taking three tests, I have found out that I tend to act like “queen of the road” when I am driving a car. I have also found out that I have moderate road rage habits, and I am very close to become a person with out of control road rage. I am not a reckless driver, but the test result shows that my temper could boil up depend on other people’s actions on the road, especially when they do “stupid” actions right front of me. I always though that I was more calm and passive driver, but now, I have taken these tests from the textbook, I have found out that I do have a road rage habits. Now that I know about these tests results, I need to face the reality and work on my habits. Therefore I can become safer on the road and become better driver.

Reference:

James, Leon & Nahl, Diane. (2000a). Road Rage and Aggressive Driving: Steering Clear of Highway Warfare, Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.

3. My Driver Self-modification Attempt

(a) Design of my experiment

After I took three self-assessment tests from the “Road Rage and Aggressive Driving”, written by Dr. James and Dr. Nahl, I have found out that I do have a tendency of being selfish person on the road, and I act like a “queen of the road”. Then I build my road rages and have a lot of negative thoughts. Therefore, I will target, and try to modify my behavior of having a lot of negative thoughts while driving a car.

When I looked over the previous generations, I could not find the exactly same behavior modification methods I had in my mind. Therefore, I would like to use self-improvement programs in the textbook. However, there were some people who had same idea toward becoming better driver. For example, Nancee Aki (http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/student2/p22/homepage.html) from generation two talked about driving personality make over is beneficial to become better driver, and also to improve self-actualization. I totally agree with her because personal growth is very important to me also, and if I have potential to become better person, I should try it at least. Especially if driving is something I do often, then I should really change my negative attitudes while I’m driving a car.

However, I also never though of my changing my “driving personality” just like Letitia Lujan (http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/student2/p28/report2.html) talked about in his/her paper. Like I described in autobiography in my report 1, I am a very shy person, and I always though my self as more shy and passive driver on the road. However, I have discovered that I totally have different personality when I am driving a car on the road.

Well, here is my designed program to modify my negative thoughts while I am driving a car:

At first, I would go to driving for about 30 minutes for seven days. I would take a tape recorder with me in the car, and see if I would swear. I also decided to speak out my negative feelings. Then, I would listen to the tape after I come home to see the frequency of negative feeling I had while I am driving a car.

At second, I got idea from the “Road Rage and Aggressive Driving”, written by Dr. James and Dr. Nahl, about self-regulation (pg62) and, I also decided to add positive reinforcement to it. For example, after I try self-regulation and if I was succeeded the method, I would reward my self with a piece of my favorite chocolate, which, I will carry in the zip-lock bags with me. Then I would go to driving for another seven days using behavior modification methods.

At last, I will compare pre-observation behaviors and post-observation behaviors to see if I improved my road rage tendency while I am driving a car.

(b) Data Tables

Pre-Observation Period

	# of swearing	#of criticizing others drivers	# of negative feelings
Day1(Mon)	4	3	4
Day2 (Tue)	2	5	6
Day3(Wed)	1	5	4
Day4(Thru)	4	4	3
Day5 (Fri)	7	11	9
Day6 (Sat)	3	8	8
Day7 (Sun)	2	7	7

I drove seven days for about 60 minutes about 5:00pm – 6:00pm.

During Behavior Modification Program Period

	# of swearing	#of criticizing others drivers	# of negative feelings
Day1(Mon)	3	3	4
Day2 (Tue)	2	4	3
Day3(Wed)	1	3	2
Day4(Thru)	1	4	1
Day5 (Fri)	4	7	5
Day6 (Sat)	3	3	6
Day7 (Sun)	2	3	3

I drove seven days for about 60 minutes about 5:00pm – 6:00pm.

Post-Observation Comparison

	# of swearing	#of criticizing others drivers	# of negative feelings
	Before / After	Before / After	Before / After
Day1(Mon)	4 / 3	3 / 3	4 / 4
Day2 (Tue)	2 / 2	5 / 4	6 / 3
Day3(Wed)	1 / 1	5 / 3	4 / 2
Day4(Thru)	4 / 1	4 / 4	3 / 1
Day5 (Fri)	7 / 4	11 / 7	9 / 5
Day6 (Sat)	3 / 3	8 / 3	8 / 6
Day7 (Sun)	2 / 2	7 / 3	7 / 3

Wow! The modification program was tougher than I though. Even though I was telling my self to be more strong person and gold my road rage, I still burst some of the negative feelings by swearing while I was driving a car. As you can see in the diagram that I had some hard time changing my bad driving habits in the beginning of the modification program. Therefore, my pre-observational and post-observational results are not that great. However, after few days into my driving personality modification program, I started to show some of the improvements, and the program outcomes became more like I was hoping.

Self-witnessing methodology was very useful in this experiment because without identifying my own driving styles and philosophy, I was not able to modify my bad driving habits. I think that awareness of Self-witnessing methodology could spread the idea of driving personality make over in broad ways. Also, I have realized that importance of the driver's emotional intelligence again during this experiment. If everyone has the driver's emotional intelligence, they should be able to keep their calm and their irrational and any negative feelings could be regulated. It is hard to change owns driving personality in such a short time, but I feel that importance of this experiment was to improve my road rage habits even by little bit, and I did.

I was very surprised to found out my “real” driving personality when I took self-assessment test. However, not that my true personality toward driving a car was revealed, I think this assignment as my first step to really change my negative driving personality, and I really feel that it is very important for me to continue my driving personality make over now on. I am satisfied with my outcome of the experiments for now, but I wish to improve my driving personality taking a long time now on because I have learned the importance of being a supportive drive through out this course from the lecture and discussions in the class.

(d) Conclusion and future plans

Even though it was very hard to improve my personality in short time, I am very happy with my result for right now. I did found out that I do have potential ability to change my road rage habits. Getting rid of all of those negative emotions are very hard, but I have found out that I can control those emotions by using emotional intelligence method. I rather become happy and healthier person when I am driving a car, so I would like to continue this program when I can, and I will always try to keep calm while I am driving a car. I hope that one day, I can regulate all of those negative emotions without using positive reinforcement.

4. Conclusion

This assignment really helped me to think over and modify my driving habits and philosophy. As I described myself in the autobiography in my report1, I always though that I am a shy, passive and calm driver, so I was very surprised to see the self-assessments result and found out that I have a moderate road rage. However, because of this assignment, I faced with myself and improved my driving habits, and I really happy about that. I have realized that how important for us to take driving assessment even though they feel like they are “passive” drivers.

My view has been changing as the semester goes on. In the very beginning of the semester, I though that driving education system was good enough, but now, I started to questions about the system of getting driver’s license in the US, and the importance of “life long driver’s education” for everybody who own driver’s license. I am really happy that I am able to improve my driving skills through out the semester by the both lectures and the assignments.

5. Future Generations

Hello, I am sure that you are all very interested in the “driving psychology”. If you think that you are not a “good driver”, please take self-assessment tests in the “Road Rage and Aggressive Driving “ written by Dr. James and Dr. Nahl immediately, and try to find suitable behavior modification program to change your driver’s habits. If you think that you are a “good driver”, please also take self-assessment tests to see if you are really “good driver”.

I always though that I was a “good driver”, but I have found out that I do have road rage habits after I took few self-assessment tests. One test takes only few minutes to complete and you might discover your “real” driving habits. Just like me, you might be surprised with the result you’ll get. The modification program might be little bit challenging, but you could be also become happy and better driver when you create suitable behavior modification program to change driving habits. I am one of them, and I am very pleased with my results after I did my behavior modification program. You are also not too late to become better driver! Let’s all try to keep our driving habits good.

Class Homepage

http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy20/g20classhome.html

My Homepage

http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/409as2004/kikuchi/