Tested hypotheses from state-trait theory applied to anger while driving. Community college student drivers high in trait driving anger were compared to drivers low in trait driving anger. High anger drivers reported six times more situations elicited significant anger levels (elicitation hypothesis) and more intense anger in common driving situations (intensity hypothesis). Their anger intensity increased more with stress of the situation (person x situation interaction hypothesis). High anger drivers reported more verbal, physical and vehicular aggressive forms of expressing anger and four times more aggressive (aggression hypothesis) and twice as much risky (risky behavior hypothesis) behavior on the road. High anger drivers also reported that their driving anger impacted their lives more (negative consequences hypothesis). The reduced constructive anger expression hypothesis (i.e., high anger drivers would express anger in less constructive ways) received no support as high and low anger drivers did not differ on coping self-instructional thoughts and high anger drivers reported more, not less adaptive/constructive anger expression. In summary, with one exception, hypotheses derived from the state-trait model were supported, as well as a collateral hypothesis (risky behavior hypothesis) not directly derived from the state-trait model. (Author/publisher)
Abstract