We present a gender role socialization model of explicit and implicit biases in driving self-enhancement. The model proposes that menÆs higher levels of driving self-enhancement (relative to women) results from socialization experiences, such as those that idealize driving skill and risk takingas core aspects of male identity. This socialization process produces reasoned explicit (declarative or propositional) associations, but also implicit (automatic, non-conscious) associations between masculinity and driving self-enhancement, and these two processes are theorized to operate relatively independently. Structural Equation Modeling of a large sample of young male (n = 200) and female (n = 200) drivers supported the model, and indicated that (a) gender role identification fully mediated the effect of gender on driving self-enhancement and (b) that this effect occurred simultaneously but relatively independently in both explicit or reasoned belief structures and also in implicit non-conscious associations assessed using the Implicit Association Test. The origins of gender differences in traffic safety behaviour and the implications of our model for shifting conceptions of what it means to be a ôreal manö with regard to driver behaviour are discussed. (A) Reprinted with permission from Elsevier.
Abstract