PSY 409A Driving Psychology, G20

Oral Presentation #1: Reference #5 Loosening the Grip of the Anger Behind the Wheel (1999)

BY SAYO YOSHINO

Instructions for this assignment:   www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy20/g20oral409a.htm

URL for the article:          　　　　http://www.drdriving.org/articles/workshop.htm

 

Classroom audience will:

1.          Investigate the unfavorable process and prevention techniques for road rage and aggressive driving.

2.         Inspect Aggressive Driving in Hawaii.

3.         Try Scenario Analysis Exercises to improve your critical thinking in emotionally challenging driving situations.

 

Ø          Topic1: Getting a Grip on Anger or Loosening the Grip of Anger

1.          Concept:                       *3 levels of emotions, which are annoyance, anger and rage, lead to either supportive or aggressive driving.

2.         Cultural:                       *42% of people do NOT think of changing lanes without signaling as aggressive driving.

3.         Psychological:             *Misunderstandings about what constitutes aggressive driving may possibly lead to continued aggressive

driving behavior.

4.         Driver’s Education:    *Knowing consequences of aggressive driving helps drivers to make logical decision about their behavior.

 

Leading Consequences

Cultural Personality

←Level of Emotion→

Driving Personality Makeover

Leading Consequences

 

 

speeding up to a yellow light

 

 

Feeling resentful

1.        Annoyance

Feeling uncomfortable

 

 

Supportive driving

 

 

Calm

Satisfaction

Positive feelings

Effective actions

 

 

tailgating

 

 

Feeling enraged

2.       Anger　　　

Feeling controlled 

 

 

Emotional intelligence

 

 

pointing a gun

 

 

Feeling murderous

1.        Rage　　　

Feeling damaged   

 

 

Supportive driving

 

Picture images came from: http://homepage3.nifty.com/ma-w2/muryotop.html

The information came from P2: www.driving.org/articles/workshop.htm

 

 

Ø          Topic 2: Three prevention techniques for road rage and aggressive driving

1.        Concept:                     * Use of prevention techniques to help derivers stay alive, stay healthy and be supportive.

2.       Cultural:                     *1. Funny noises: They can be implemented right away so the technique is suitable for impatient drivers.

3.       Psychological:             *2. Slowly count to ten: While you’re counting, your adrenaline in the blood goes back to normal levels.

*3. Forgive and forget: You can forget about madness while you’re thinking about your favorite people.

4.       Driver’s Education:    *The techniques are easy and simple because everyone can use them without having any special knowledge.

 

  

 

Ø          Topic 3: Aggressive Driving Bills in Hawaii

1.          Concept:                     *Aggressive driving bills involves subjective and objective words to define aggressive driving.

2.         Cultural:                       *Drivers in Hawaii need to know contents of aggressive driving bills in Hawaii to stay out of trouble.

3.         Psychological:             *Punishment is an effective temporarily, and it creates the tendency to become more aggressive.

(Grace J, Craig, “Human Development” p.287)

4.         Driver’s Education:    *A driver should try to analyze aggressive driving bills to be aware of how aggressive driving behavior is

a complicated matter. 

A Hawaii bill creates the offense of aggressive driving and is punishable by a fine of not less than $200 nor more than $2,500 and jail time

for not less than one month nor more than one year.  The court will assess 5 points against the driving record of people convicted of this offense.

The offense is defined as operating a vehicle:

Rating

 

Subjective

1. 　In a contentious or antagonistic manner that endangers the safety of another or of property

Subjective

2. 　With a willful and wanton disregard for the life, limb or property of another

Objective

(Subjective?)

3. 　While either the driver or a passenger is brandishing a firearm, or any object similar in appearance, in such a manner as to reasonably induce fear in the mind of another

Subjective

1.        In a threatening or intimidating manner with intent to cause another motorist to lose control or be forced off the highway.

 

Ø          Topic 4: Anti- social and prosocial driver orientation

1.          Concept:                      *There are two types focus on while you are driving. 

1.          Anti- social orientation     focus on blaming others and retaliating ex) “How can they do this to me!”

2.         Prosocial orientation           focus on self and how to cope            ex) “I’m scared and angry!”

2.         Psychological:             *Prosocial driver orientation is similar to self- perception theory. (make judgments about own behavior)

(Leon G. Schiffman, “Consumer Behavior,” P281)

*Use of the concept of classical conditioning (repetition, stimulus discrimination) is a key in maintaining a

supportive driving orientation.

(Leon G. Schiffman, “Consumer Behavior,” P212)

1.          Witnessing your antisocial statements

2.         Immediately neutralizing them with prosocial statements   (stimulus discrimination)

3.         Do this consistently and you become a supportive driver      (repetition)

3.         Driver’s Education:    *Acquiring prosocial orientation is a path to be a supportive driver.

*Basically, a driver needs to know what is anti- social orientation and what is prosocial orientation.

*Pop Quiz:Let’s try distinguishing between Anti- social orientation and Prosocial orientation. 

Please put “A” for anti- social orientation and put “P” for prosocial orienation next to the each

number in the column.  Then, think about why you decided that ways.  

 

1.          “If I respond to this provocation I lose control over the situation. It’s not worth it.”

 

2.         “I just want him to know how I feel!”

 

Ø          Topic 5: Scenario Analysis Exercises

1.          Concept:                      *TEE Card (Traffic Emotions Education card) describes about a real road rage event. 

*By examining a story in a card, you can think about the sequence of human thinking in a road rage exchange.

2.         Cultural:                       * TEE Card No. 30C6 is about a road dispute between two drivers.  After the dispute, one of them was died,

and the other one was wounded and faced serious charges. 

*A brief story like the one above is not rare that these kinds of events occur hundreds of times each year.

3.         Psychological:            *Gaining emotional intelligence leads to satisfaction which can be classified as positive reinforcement.

*Emotionaly challenge behavior leads to unsatisfaction which is negative reinforcement.

(Leon G. Schiffman, “Consumer Behavior,” P221)

*Emotional intelligence→             positive feelings→ effective actions→  no trouble→  satisfaction

*Emotional challenge behavior→   negative feelings→ harmful actions→   trouble→      unsatisfaction

4.         Driver’s Education:    *Try Scenario Analysis Exercises to improve your critical thinking in driving situations.

 

 

“Road Rage Shoot Out”

 

①        The man in the red Dodge Dakota was “driving erratically” when he bumped Bispo’s blue Ford pickup, Hilte said.

 

②        The Dakota driver then wheeled around Bispo’s Ford and sped　north on Power Boulevard, Hilte said. 

 

③        Bispo, a civilian employee at Fort Carson, followed as the driver turned east onto Dublin Boulevard and parked on the shoulder.　　“He pulled over about a car length back, and it just went bad　from there,” Hilte said.  

④        Both men got out of their vehicles wielding handguns.　　Words were exchanged.

 

⑤        Shots were fired.

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