Effects of aggressive driving and driver characteristics on road rage

Abstract To what extent is road rage triggered by aggressive driving behavior (frustration-aggression) or by characteristics of an aggressive driver (frustration-selective aggression)? Two scenarios on aggressive driving were presented to 144 undergraduates: impeding traffic (passive aggression) and reckless driving (active aggression). Age, gender, and cell phone use of a fictitious aggressive driver were manipulated in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design. Dependent variables were anger that was created by each scenario, intentions to retaliate against the other driver, and intentions to report the incident to police. Age, gender, and cell phone use had no significant effects on results. Subjects raged far more against aggressive driving than against particular classes of aggressive drivers. Strategies for lowering road rage are discussed.

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