Three studies showed that drivers leaving a public parking space are territorial even when such behavior is contrary to their goal of leaving. In Study 1 200 departing cars were observed. Intruded-upon-drivers took longer to leave than nonintruded-upon drivers. In Study 2, an experiment involving 240 drivers in which level of intrusion and status of intruder were manipulated, drivers took longer to leave when another car was present and when the intruder honked. Males left significantly sooner when intruded upon by a higher rather than lower status car, whereas females' departure times did not differ as a function of the status of the car. In Study 3, 100 individuals who had parked at a mall were asked about how other people would react to intruders. Compared to what they believed other people would do, respondents said they would leave faster if the car were just waiting for them to leave, but they would take longer to leave if the driver in the car honked at them. (A)
Abstract