Key beliefs influencing young drivers’ engagement with social interactive technology on their smartphones: A qualitative study

Gauld, Cassandra S.; Lewis, Ioni M.; White, Katherine M.; Watson, Barry · 2016 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1080/15389588.2015.1047014

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Summary

This qualitative study investigates the underlying beliefs influencing young drivers’ engagement with social interactive technology (SIT) on smartphones while driving. Motivated by the high prevalence of smartphone use among young drivers and the growing evidence that mobile phone use comprises distinct behaviors, the research aims to differentiate the motivations behind initiating, monitoring/reading, and responding to SIT. The study applies the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to identify behavioral (advantages/disadvantages), normative (approval/disapproval), and control (facilitators/barriers) beliefs associated with each behavior. The researchers conducted interviews and focus groups with 26 young drivers (aged 17–25) in Queensland, Australia. Participants were primarily university students who owned smartphones and held valid driver’s licenses. Using a semi-structured guide adapted from standard TPB belief elicitation questions, the study explored participants’ perceptions of the three specific behaviors. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded using a theory-led approach to categorize responses into behavioral, normative, and control belief themes. The results revealed distinct underlying beliefs for each behavior, particularly within behavioral beliefs. Initiating was driven by advantages such as communicating with people one is meeting, saving time, or alleviating boredom. Monitoring/reading was motivated by the desire to determine if a response was necessary, stay updated on friends’ plans, or feel relief from receiving expected communications. Responding was primarily driven by the need to communicate with important people or alleviate social pressure from peers expecting quick replies. Normative beliefs showed that friends and peers were more likely to approve of initiating and responding, whereas parents were more likely to approve of monitoring/reading, which was perceived as less risky. Control beliefs indicated that facilitators varied by behavior (e.g., familiar roads facilitated initiating; audible notifications facilitated monitoring), while barriers were consistent across all three, including difficult traffic conditions and the risk of police apprehension. The study concludes that initiating, monitoring/reading, and responding are distinct behaviors with different underlying motivations, supporting the need for targeted interventions. The findings suggest that public education messages should address specific beliefs, such as challenging the urgency of responding to "important" people or emphasizing the social approval gained from not monitoring phones while driving. By understanding these distinct motivations, researchers and policymakers can develop more effective strategies to reduce distracted driving among young drivers.

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Topics

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• passenger effects
• parental management
• mobile phones

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• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence