Affective States and Driving Behavior of Novice and Young Drivers

Oehl, Michael; Höger, Rainer · 2022 · Crossref

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe100744

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

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Summary

This study investigates how affective states influence the driving behavior of novice and young drivers, a demographic disproportionately involved in traffic accidents despite overall improvements in road safety. While previous research has extensively linked negative emotions, particularly anger, to risky driving, there is limited understanding of how positive affective states impact performance. The authors aimed to contrast the effects of happiness (positive valence) and anger (negative valence) on driving metrics, specifically examining whether these effects differ between novice drivers (≤1 year of experience) and young drivers (>1 year of experience). The researchers employed a 2x2 factorial experimental design using a driving simulator with 80 student participants divided into novice (n=25) and young (n=55) groups. Participants were randomly assigned to either a positive or negative affective condition. Affective states were induced using film clips (*When Harry Met Sally* for happiness; *Schindler’s List* for anger) shown before the driving task. Participants drove predefined routes including country roads, city streets, and expressways. Driving performance was measured via mean velocity, acceleration, lateral acceleration, and speeding violations. The induction of affective states was verified using the Self-Assessment Manikin, and trait driving anger was controlled for using the Driving Anger Scale. Results indicated that affective states significantly influenced driving speed, but not acceleration or lateral control. Drivers in the positive affective state drove significantly faster than those in the negative affective state across the entire route and specifically on unrestricted expressway sections. This speed increase was observed in both novice and young drivers, though the effect trended toward being more pronounced for novices. Additionally, young drivers consistently drove faster than novice drivers regardless of affective state. No significant gender differences were found in either affective experience or driving behavior. The study noted limitations, including weakly reported affective states potentially due to the context shift from film viewing to simulator driving, and the possibility that induced anger did not exceed the threshold required to trigger aggressive driving behaviors. The findings suggest that positive affective states, such as happiness, can lead to maladjusted driving behavior characterized by increased speed, challenging the assumption that only negative emotions impair driving safety. This is particularly relevant for novice drivers, who may frequently drive in positive social contexts. The authors conclude that driving instruction and supervision should address the risks associated with positive affective states, not just negative ones, to mitigate accident risks among young and inexperienced drivers.

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Topics

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• affect mood
• novice drivers
• anger road rage
• passenger effects