Abstract
THE EIGHT STATE QUESTIONNAIRE (8SQ) AND THE MOTIVATION ANALYSIS TEST (MAT) WERE ADMINISTERED TO 58 COLLEGE STUDENTS BEFORE AND AFTER VIEWING A FIVE-MINUTE FILM SEGMENT, PORTRAYING GRAPHIC DOCUMENTARY SCENES OF AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT VICTIMS, AND PART OF A PATHOLOGIST'S AUTOPSY OF A ROAD VICTIM. PRESENTATION OF THIS HIGH-THREAT STIMULUS INDUCED AN INTENSE ELEVATION IN SEVERAL EMOTIONAL AND MOTIVATIONAL STATES. MOST CHANGES IMPLIED A GENERALISED PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORIENTATION AND CONCOMITANT DIMINUTION IN MOTOR SKILLS. IN ACCORD WITH PREVIOUS EVIDENCE, THE PRESENT FINDINGS SUGGESTED THAT FEAR APPEALS ARE PROBABLY INEFFECTIVE IN AUGMENTING SAFER DRIVING BEHAVIORS.(Author/publisher).