Report 1: Driving Personality Make-over - What is it? Is it for Me?

by Jenica Guerra
Generation Six

In the U.S. each year there are 40,000 deaths and 5 million car crashes, costing 150 billion dollars in medical expenses and lost productivity (Dr. Driving's Home Page)

In this report, I will present my definition of a driving personality make-over based on self-witnessing reports I found in the generational curriculum. Three psychological concepts will be given as explanations to how a driving personality make-over works. A brief discussion about my own self-witnessing experiment will follow, ending with an evaluation of the value of this activity and my recommendations to others who will be doing this same report.

A driving personality is the enduring patterns of affective (A) and cognitive (C) traits one has, while in a vehicle, which are exhibited through sensory motor (S) actions. To make something over is to remodel and to make the something better then it was before.

The make-over of a driving personality is a life-long process. The process involves self-witnessing and changing bad habits, both of which must be repeated throughout ones life. After all, no one is ever perfect, no matter how much rehabilitation is done.

The first time one self-witnesses, one should drive as normal and record everything, which includes ones feelings (A), thoughts (C), and actions(S), just as Sandra Scarbrough did. She noticed her speeding (S), weaving to surpass slower drivers (S), and anger toward other drivers(A). After this initial baseline observation, self-witnessing should continue indefinitely.

Next, one should attempt to overcome an undesirable aspect of one's driving personality. Heidi Easley chose her impatient behavior. Being patient allowed her to notice a difference in her overall A, C, S sequence. Having a negative affect (i.e. being cranky and impatient) on the first day resulted in negative C(i.e. thinking how dumb some drivers are) and S (i.e. cutting off slow drivers and giving them the stink eye) reactions. However, being relaxed and peaceful (A) correlated with more positive reactions like waiting patiently to go her turn (S) and thinking positively(A).

Self-witnessing and changing undesirable behavior for a short period of time helps. Shane Cobb-Adams perceived himself as a better driver after two weeks of self-modification but he noted that his driving personality still needed further improvement. This is true and repeating the process results in better and more enduring traits.

The rational-emotive theory, the fundamental attribution error and role playing can each explain why a driving personality make-over is effective.

Albert Ellis's rational-emotive theory (RET) can explain how change is created through the driving personality make-over. The theory states that emotional disturbances (e.g. being angry at a slow driver(A) or having a need to speed (A)) persist when irrational ideas persist (e.g.that guy is a jerk(C) or speeding (S)). The theory is designed to be used with a therapist or as a teaching device. However, the driving personality make-over is still characteristic of it.

In the make-over, one realizes one's faults, chooses one and makes changes on it. The process of changing a fault (i.e. unthinking and undoing an irrational idea) helps one to look at others who perform the same illogical act (e.g. speeding). Seeing this from another perspective (i.e. going the speed limit, a rational act) causes one to further realize how illogical the act is (i.e. speeding endangers lives). Thus, when one struggles with not speeding, the replacement of irrational ideas (e.g. speeding is good) by rational ideas (e.g. speeding is not good) removes emotional disturbances (e.g. the urge to speed).

The fundamental attribution error, rather the realization of it, helps create change through the driving personality make-over. It is the tendency for observers to attribute peoples innate personality traits rather then the situation for others' behavior. I, personally, always make this error. Whenever people cut in front of me, I attribute their action to their disposition (i.e. rude, inconsiderate) rather then the situation (e.g. maybe they were unable to get in the lane anywhere else).

The driving personality make-over opens ones mind up. No one part of the make-over does this but rather the whole thing gives one newer and larger perspectives on everything. I realized how I make the fundamental attribution error by going over my self-witnessing trials. I got irritated because someone had their blinker on at a light and did not turn. I got so irritated at him and inwardly called him irresponsible and stupid. When I read over this, I thought of times I did the exact same thing and I don't consider myself to be irresponsible and stupid.

The realization of the fundamental attribution error, no matter how it is realized by any individual, helps one to be more forgiving on the road and in life.

Role playing is another concept which facilitates change. The concept is that taking on a role can powerfully affect ones affect, cognition, and sensory motor acts. Role playing is so powerful that it can actually change an aspect or aspects of ones personality.

Role playing works at the changing behavior step of the driving personality make-over. One adopts a new role (e.g. that of a safe, courteous, and forgiving driver). At first one feels awkward in the new role but with time one feels more comfortable with the social position and eventually the acting turns into being, just as in Philip Zimbardo's jail simulation experiment.

Ellis's rational-emotive theory, the fundamental attribution error and role playing each explain in their own way how the driving personality make-over works to create changes.

My self-modification experiment focused on "following too close." The reason I chose this act is because it has always been a problem for me. From the beginning of my driving life, people have consistently commented on how I follow very close to other cars. After a few years, I realized this was a real problem. Since then, I have improved. Although, at the present, I do not receive comments from my driving companions on my following too close, I know that I do drive too close and it is dangerous.

Although I have been aware of my problem, I have not done much about it. I can not seem to create an enduring driving personality trait of following farther behind.

The way I went about this experiment was to self-witness several driving trips. I had a baseline trial and trials where I intervened. I used role playing and self-witnessing as tools to aid the intervention. The self-witnessing kept me conscious of what I was doing so I could constantly bring myself back on track when I regressed to my tendency of driving too close.

I self-witnessed my driving trials on a tape recorder. For my first trial, I did not attempt to change my behavior and attitude, I tried to act normal. Boy, did I find out a lot about myself and my driving.

My attitude stunk really bad on the first trial. Bad thoughts constantly clouded my mind. I continuously scorned people for the way they drove. It was as though I was the head honcho on driving etiquette. I even got mad at pedestrians.

I noted six times where I was driving too close to another car. My distance varied from one to one and a half car lengths between myself and the car in front of me at 60 miles per hour to half a car length distance in 10 to 15 miles per hour traffic. On more then one occasion, I counted less then two seconds between my and the car in front of me.

I attempted to change my "driving too close" behavior through self-witnessing which keeps me conscious of what I am doing and thinking. I also tried role play, which involves taking on the persona of a nice person who does not let anything bother her and who does not drive close behind other cars.

I noted two times where I followed too closely. On both occasions I had to remind myself to slow down and not to be so anxious. Many people cut in front of me. I struggled, and still am struggling, with this issue. I had to tell myself that it is not worth getting mad over. Why should I waste my energy on someone I do not even know. I should just smile and not let something so minute get to me. I did not want anyone to get the best of me, especially if they had no intention of upsetting me.

I utilized familiar strategies (i.e. self-witnessing and role playing) and I even sang to relax myself. I made up songs like "I'm not mad, I love to give people their space, la, la, la."

By trial three, I was very relaxed and not very anxious to get home. This may have been due to role playing and if it had not been for that, I may have been the exact opposite. I did not let it bother me that I was leaving so much space between me and the car in front. I usually try leave no space between myself and the person in front because I do not want anyone to cut in. I am not in a grocery store, people are not cutting in line, they are just trying to get to a destination. I should not add stress to their trip. They have the right to be able to get into a lane occupied by me.

I only noted one time where I was following too closely. This was because someone cut between me and the car in front. What I did was slow down and create a safe distance between the two of us.

Near my home, I was behind two drivers who were going around three miles below the speed limit and I got a little irritated but self-witnessing made me realize what I was doing. I adjusted my attitude to that of a forgiving and understanding driver and did not let myself get too close, I followed far behind. No matter what, I should not follow too close behind. My cruise home behind the two cars at 20 miles per hour proved quite free of stress.

Actively trying to change my bad habit, "driving too close," proved successful. I significantly reduced the number of incidents my habit occurred.

Role playing, being conscious of my actions and being awake to every move through self-witnessing, and even singing were all helpful strategies.

I am not surprised at the results. This was a very short experiment and it was easy to alter my behavior with the help of self-witnessing. I feel it will be difficult to continue my self-modification for a long time; even though it is beneficial, with no incentive, push, and support, I may fall in my pursue of bettering myself. Dr. James spoke of quality driving circles (QDC's) which do just that (i.e. support, push, and give incentive), so maybe I can find one and hopefully it will do the trick. I think it would also prove useful to focus on a very specific habit (e.g. Instead of speeding, focus on exceeding the speed limit by 15 miles per hour.). This seems as though it would be easier to accomplish. Accomplishing smaller goals gives more incentive to change, it makes change seem more possible. Thus, it is easier for one to continue the process of a driving personality make-over.

Looking up self-witnessing reports, searching for psychological concepts and doing a mini-experiment all helped me in different ways.

I learned how to be a more efficient searcher on the Internet through practice and familiarization, which had to do with looking up reports. This skill took me a while to learn. I would surf back and forth through pages of information, feeling as though I was getting no where. After a while, I learned how and what to bookmark, so I could easily go back to pages I knew would be of use to me. This saved hours of wasted time looking at information I did not care to know. Being a good and efficient online searcher is useful for school and life. I now have another source (i.e. the Internet) which I can utilize for anything my little heart desires. It is a skill that I will use long after this class.

Looking for psychological concepts was also a good activity. It challenged me to recall and use my knowledge learned in previous classes. I love using information I get from my classes, unfortunately I forget it too fast. In order to apply terms, I had to find them. Thus, some of my hidden knowledge came out and was actually of use. Applying concepts to the driving personality make-over helped me make use of learned knowledge and helped me attain a better understanding of how a driving personality make-over works.

The mini-experiment improved my awareness through self-witnessing. My awareness then made me realize how many faults I have, which allowed me to take steps toward changing them. It is also useful for life, I can continue to make myself a better person. Moreover, I can apply the mini-experiment technique to other areas of my life.

• Do not skim through self-witnessing reports, this only wastes time. Read through them thoroughly because you will have to do this anyway.
  
• Do not worry about finding psychology concepts that relate to how a driving personality make-over works. Once you start seriously looking, you will find that many terms can apply.
  
• Buy or borrow a microrecorder if you do not have one. It is a big help.
  
• Start self-witnessing early, do not wait until the last minute!
  
• HAVE FUN!!!

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