Territorial Markings as a Predictor of Driver Aggression and Road Rage

Aggressive driving has received substantial media coverage during the past decade. This research reports on 3 studies testing a territorial explanation of aggressive driving. Altman (1975) described attachment to, personalization of, and defense of primary territories (e.g., home) as being greater than for public territories (e.g., sunbathing spot on a beach). Aggressive driving may occur when social norms for defending a primary territory (i.e., one's automobile) become confused with less aggressive norms for defending a public territory (i.e., the road). Both number of territory markers (e.g., bumper stickers, decals) and attachment to the vehicle were significant predictors of aggressive driving. Mere presence of a territory marker predicts increased use of the vehicle to express anger and decreased use of adaptive/constructive expressions.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00219029
• Authors:
  • Szlemko, William J
  • Benfield, Jacob A
  • Bell, Paul A
  • Deffenbacher, Jerry L
  • Troup, Lucy
• Publication Date: 2008-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 1664-1688
• Serial:
  • Journal of Applied Social Psychology
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: Blackwell Publishers
  • ISSN: 0021-9029

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aggression; Automobile drivers; Automobile driving; Human factors; Psychological aspects; Road rage
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01110789
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 24 2008 10:37AM