HABIT AS THE SOURCE OF AN INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSE

In the driving situation, the experienced driver develops habitual responses which serve him well, most of the time. However, in some emergency situations, a limited reportoire of habitual responses, such as braking or swerving, may be inadequate to cope with a situation which is incongruous with the driver's stimulus-response contiguity pattern of avoidance behavior: a situation where a diametrically opposed response in required to avert disaster. When a driver is called upon to accelerate, rather than brake suddenly, his habitual, almost reflexive response to the emergency situation, may serve to aggravate the danger in the situation and possibly culminate in a crash. This study, which is part of a larger project, describes such a perverse situation and disucsses some important inferences for safety training, with particular reference to the perceptual style of the individual. /Author/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00140139
• Corporate Authors:

  Taylor & Francis

  4 Park Square, Milton Park
  Abingdon,   United Kingdom  OX14 4RN
• Authors:
  • Currie, L
• Publication Date: 1975-7

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 435-442
• Serial:
  • Ergonomics
  • Volume: 18
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Taylor & Francis
  • ISSN: 0014-0139
  • EISSN: 1366-5847
  • Serial URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/terg20

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acceleration (Mechanics); Behavior; Braking; Crash injury research; Crashes; Driver training; Drivers; Emergencies; Reaction time; Research
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction
• Old TRIS Terms: Stimulus-response
• Subject Areas: Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00125505
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 16 1975 12:00AM