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Traffic congestion, driver stress, and driver aggression
Author(s) -
Hennessy Dwight A.,
Wiesenthal David L.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
aggressive behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.223
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1098-2337
pISSN - 0096-140X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-2337(1999)25:6<409::aid-ab2>3.0.co;2-0
Subject(s) - aggression , distraction , psychology , poison control , stress (linguistics) , trait , injury prevention , aggressive driving , human factors and ergonomics , developmental psychology , medicine , medical emergency , computer science , cognitive psychology , linguistics , philosophy , programming language
Drivers were interviewed over cellular telephones in high‐ and low‐congestion conditions during a single commute. During each interview, state measures of driver stress and driver behaviors were obtained. Behavior responses were subdivided into six categories: aggressive, information seeking, planning, minor self‐destructive, distraction, and relaxation techniques. Both state driver stress and aggression were greater in high‐ than in low‐congestion conditions. No other behavior category differed between low and high congestion. Multiple regressions were calculated to determine the predictors of state driver stress. In low congestion, time urgency predicted state driver stress, while aggression predicted driver stress in high congestion. In both conditions, a trait susceptibility toward viewing driving as generally stressful was predictive of state driver stress levels, which further strengthens the use of the Driving Behaviour Inventory—General as a predictor of “trait” driver stress. Females and males did not differentiate on state stress or any behavior category. Aggr. Behav. 25:409–423, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.