Abstract
One hundred sixty-three individuals participated in this study, which assessed relations among personality traits, mood states, and driving behaviors. Each participant underwent a standard driving evaluation on the road and completed the NEO PI-R Personality Inventory and the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Results indicated that the mood states of depression-dejection, anger-hostility, fatigue-inertia, vigor activity, and tension-anxiety were related to Cautiousness while driving for young adults, while personality traits were not found to be related to driving. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
American Psychological Association. (1992). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. American Psychologist, 47, 1597-1611.
Appel, C. P.,Blomkvist, A. C.,Persson, L. O., &Sjoberg, L. (1980). Mood and achievement in a difficult driving task. Ergonomics, 23, 605-612.
Arthur, W., &Doverspike, D. (1992). Locus of control and auditory selective attention as predictors of driving accident involvement: A comparative longitudinal investigation. Journal of Personality, 64, 593-618.
Arthur, W. Jr., &Graziano, W. G. (1996). The five-factor model, conscientiousness, and driving accident involvement. Journal of Personality, 64, 593-618.
Beirness, D. J. (1993). Do we really drive as we live? The role of personality factors in road crashes. Alcohol, Drugs and Driving, 9, 129-143.
Beirness, D. J., &Simpson, H. M. (1988). Lifestyle correlates of risky driving and accident involvement among youth. Alcohol, Drugs and Driving, 4, 193-204.
Buss, A. H., &Durkee, A. (1957). An inventory for assessing different kinds of hostility. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 21, 343-349.
Carr, D.,Jackson, T. W.,Madden, D. J., &Cohen, H. J. (1992). The effect of age on driving skills. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 40, 567-573.
Costa, P. T., &McCrae, R. R. (1980). Influence of extraversion and neuroticism on subjective well-being: Happy and unhappy people. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 38, 668-678.
Costa, P. T., &McCrae, R. R. (1992). Revised NEO personality inventory (NEO PI-R) and NEO five factor inventory (NEOFFI). Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc.
Demick, J., &Harkins, D. (1997). Role of cognitive style in the driving skills of young, middle-aged, and older adults.
Donovan, D. M., &Marlatt, G. A. (1982). Personality subtypes among driving-while-intoxicated offenders: Relationship to drinking behavior and driving risk. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 50, 241-249.
Donovan, D. J.,Umlauf, R. L.,Queisser, H. R., &Salzberg, P. J. (1986). Personality subtypes among driving-while-intoxicated offenders: Follow-up of subsequent driving records. Journal of Clinical and Consulting Psychology, 54, 563-565.
Dorn, L. &Matthews, G. (1995). Prediction of mood and risk appraisals from trait measures: Two studies of simulated driving. European Journal of Personality, 9, 25-42.
Emmons, R. A., &Diener, E. (1986). Influence of impulsivity and sociability on subjective well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 1211-1215.
Evans, L., &Wasielewski, P. (1983). Risky driving related to driver and vehicle characteristics. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 15, 121-136.
Goggin, N. L., &Keller, M. J. (1996). Older drivers: A closer look. Educational Gerontology, 22, 245-256.
Gulian, E.,Matthews, G.,Glendon, A. I.,Davies, D. R., &Debney, L. M. (1989). Dimensions of driver stress. Ergonomics, 32, 585-602.
Harano, R. M.,McBride, R. S., &Peck, R. C. (1973). The Prediction of Accidental Liability Through Biographical Data and Psychometric Tests. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Motor Vehicles, Research and Statistics Section.
Henderson, M. (1971). The accident-prone car driver-does he exist? The Medical Journal of Australia, 2, 909-912.
Jessor, R. (1987). Risky driving and adolescent problem behavior. Alcohol, Drugs and Driving, 3, 1-12.
Mayer, R. E., &Treat, J. R. (1977). Psychological, social and cognitive characteristics of high risk drivers. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 9, 1-8.
McNair, D.,Lorr, M., &Droppleman, L. (1992). Profile of mood states (3rd ed.). San Diego: Educational & Industrial Testing Service.
McGuire, F. L. (1972). Smoking, driver education, and other correlations of accidents among males. Journal of Safety Research, 4, 5-11.
Meyer, G. J., &Shack, J. R. (1989). Structural convergence of mood and personality: Evidence for old and new directions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 691-706.
Pelz, D. C., &Schuman, S. H. (1968). Dangerous young drivers. Society of Automotive Engineers Journal, 76, 61-68.
Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal vs. external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 80, (Whole No. 609).
Rusting, C. L., &Larsen, R. J. (1995). Moods as sources of stimulation: Relationships between personality and desired mood states. Personality and Individual Differences, 18, 321-329.
Schmidt, C. W.,Perlin, S.,Townes, W.,Fisher, R. S., &Shaffer, J. W. (1972). Characteristics of drivers involved in single-car accidents: A comparative study. Archives of General Psychiatry, 27, 800-903.
Schuman, S. H.,Pelz, D. C.,Ehrlich, N. J., &Selzer, M. L. (1967). Young male drivers: Impulse expression, accidents, and violations. Journal of the American Medical Association, 200, 1026-1030.
Selzer, M. L.,Payne, C. E.,Westervelt, F. H., &Quinn, J. (1967). Automobile accidents as an expression of psychopathology in an alcoholic population. Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 28, 505-516.
Selzer, M. L. &Vinokur, A. (1974). Life events, subjective stress, and traffic accidents. American Journal of Psychiatry, 131, 903-906.
Selzer, M. L.,Vinokur, A., &Wilson, T. D. (1977). A psychosocial comparison of drunken drivers and alcoholics. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 38, 1294-1312.
Shaw, L. (1965). The practical use of projective personality tests as accident predictors. Traffic Safety Research Review, 9, 34-72.
Suchman, E. A. (1970). Accident and social deviance. Journal of Health and Social Deviance, 11, 4-15.
Svrakic, D. M.,Przybeck, T. R., &Cloninger, C. R. (1992). Mood states and personality traits. Journal of Affective Disorders, 24, 217-226.
Tillman, W. A., &Hobbs, G. E., (1969). The accident-prone automobile driver: A study of the psychiatric and social background. American Journal of Psychiatry, 106, 321-331.
Traffic Injury Research Foundation of Canada (1985). Traffic accidents and youth: A cohort study of alcohol and other factors. Final report. Phase II. Ottawa: TIRF.
Wapner, S., &Demick, J. (1998). Developmental analysis:A holistic, developmental, systems-oriented perspective. In W. Damon (Series Ed.) & R. M. Lerner (Vol. Ed.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol. 1 Theoretical models of human development ( 5th ed., pp. 761-805). New York: Wiley.
Wilson, R. J., &Jonah, B. A. (1988). The application of problem behaviour theory to the understanding of risky driving. Alcohol, Drugs and Driving, 4, 173-191.
Zuckerman, M. (1979). Sensation seeking: Beyond the optimal level of arousal. New York: Wiley.
Zuckerman, M., &Neeb, M. (1980). Demographic influences in sensation seeking and expressions of sensation seeking in religion, smoking and driving habits. Personal and Individual Differences, 1, 197-206.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Garrity, R.D., Demick, J. Relations Among Personality Traits, Mood States, and Driving Behaviors. Journal of Adult Development 8, 109–118 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026446002317
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026446002317