Masculinity, femininity, and angry drivers: Masculinity and femininity as moderators between driver anger and anger expression style among young drivers

Is Being Male a Marker of Aggression? Evidence for the Decoupling of Sex and Gender Role Orientation

OBJECTIVES

This study explores whether sex differences in reactive aggression (RA) and proactive aggression (PA) are attributable to sex, gender role orientation, or their interaction and explores the neuroanatomical characteristics of these sex differences.

METHODS

In a sample of 108 males and 126 females, we examined the sex-by-gender role orientation interaction on RA, PA, and brain gray matter volume (GMV). Then, we explored the relationship between aggression and regional GMV.

RESULTS

When the effects of sex and gender role orientation on aggression were disentangled, there were no sex differences in RA, regardless of gender role orientation. However, sex differences (male > female) in PA were observed within the masculine group but not within the feminine group. Brain imaging results revealed sex differences (male > female) on the right inferior frontal gyrus GMV, a region involved in cognitive control, within the masculine group. Moreover, a negative association between PA and the right inferior frontal gyrus GMV was observed in masculine females rather than masculine males.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that gender role orientation has a more significant effect on aggression than sex, particularly with regard to PA, and hint that the goal of cognitive control involved in displaying PA differs in masculine males and masculine females.

Which drivers drive as they live and who are transformed while driving? Analysis of moderators in the relationship between general anger and driving anger

INTRODUCTION

Trait driving anger is a widely studied personality variable in the field of road safety, due to its strong relationship with both risky behavior on the road and crash-related events. The Deffenbacher's Driving Anger Scale theoretical approach has underlined different situations that could provoke anger in drivers, although trait driving anger is usually analyzed as a whole. Trait general anger has been proposed as one of the most relevant predictors of trait driving anger, showing moderate relationships with it.

METHOD

The current research aimed to analyze the relationship between trait general anger and each one of the situations provoking anger, as well as to search for personality variables that could moderate these relationships. Based on literature review, it was expected that self-esteem would moderate both Discourtesy and Hostile gestures, Type-A behavior pattern would moderate both Slow driving and Traffic obstructions, and conscientiousness would moderate both Police presence and Illegal driving. A sample of 417 drivers (Mage = 31.24, SDage = 13.59, 64.5% females) taken from the Spanish general population completed a set of self-reports.

RESULTS

The results showed significant moderation effects in the case of Hostile gestures, Discourtesy, Illegal driving, and Slow driving. Conditional processes of these moderations were analyzed. Lastly, practical implications are discussed, allowing for tailored interventions to be implemented based on individual drivers' tendencies. Therefore, interventions should address different triggers of driving anger: boosting self-esteem for those angered by disrespect, targeting Type-A behavior reduction for those angered by traffic slowdowns, and promoting conscientiousness enhancement for those angered by others' risky driving.

Relationships between Grey Matter Volume in the Bilateral Superior Frontal Gyrus and Reactive Aggression Varied by Level of Traditional Masculinity

Although previous behavioral studies have associated reactive aggression (RA) and proactive aggression (PA) with traditional masculinity, further investigation is needed into the traditional masculinity-linked neuroanatomical characteristics of RA and PA. This study analyzed the traditional masculinity-by-aggression interaction in 705 participants (350 men) by measuring grey matter volume (GMV). We have expanded on previous studies and found that traditional masculinity was not associated with RA and PA when not controlled for traditional femininity. However, the association appeared when controlling for it. Furthermore, we found significant traditional masculinity-by-RA interactions on the GMV in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus, a region known to be involved in cognitive control. When traditional masculinity scores were 1 standard deviation above the mean, there was a positive correlation between RA and the GMV in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus. Conversely, when traditional masculinity scores were 1 standard deviation below the mean, there was a negative correlation between RA and the GMV in the region. However, no traditional masculinity-linked neuroanatomical characteristics of PA were found. The results indicated that individuals with high/low traditional masculinity perceived RA as a different outcome (gain or loss) of self-control. The results supported an opportunity to develop prevention or intervention strategies for RA.

The neurofunctional basis of human aggression varies by levels of femininity

Aggression can be categorized into reactive aggression (RA) and proactive aggression (PA) based on their underlying motivations. However, previous research has rarely identified the relationship between femininity and RA/PA, and there is a lack of understanding regarding the femininity-related neurofunctional basis of these aggressive behaviors. Thus, this study first examined the relationships between femininity and aggression, then explored the aggression-by-femininity interactions on the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations using resting-state fMRI among 705 university participants (mean age = 19.14 ± 0.99). The behavioral data indicated that femininity was more negatively associated with RA and PA when masculinity was controlled for. Additionally, the neural data revealed that femininity-specific relationships of RA in the left middle occipital gyrus (i.e. individuals with low femininity had positive relationships between RA and the left middle occipital gyrus, whereas those with high femininity had negative relationships) as well as of PA in the left middle frontal gyrus (i.e. individuals with high femininity showed significant negative relationships, whereas those with low femininity did not exhibit significant relationships). These findings reflect that individuals with varying levels of femininity exhibit distinct neural bases when expressing different subtypes of aggression, which are associated with societal expectations of gender.

Better understanding female and male driving offenders' behavior: Psychological resources and vulnerabilities matter!

Although driving risk taking appears to be mainly male, an increase in driving violations has been observed in recent years among French female drivers. The main objective of the present study was to explore the driving behaviors, psychological resources, and vulnerabilities of female and male driving offenders participating in a French driver rehabilitation program. The second aim was to examine to what extent females' and males' resources and vulnerabilities predicted their violations, engagement in distracting activities while driving, and prosocial driving behaviors. In the course of 110 rehabilitation programs, 1686 driving offenders (22.4% females) completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. Compared to male offenders, females were more likely to have received a higher education, be divorced, or separated, and drive fewer annual kilometers. They also had had fewer demerit points than males in the last three years. They were more empathetic but also more impulsive than their male counterparts and less self-compassionate and mindful. Regression and moderation analyses revealed that, across genders, certain psychological resources such as mindfulness can be considered as protective factors for driving offenders as they tend to decrease dangerous behaviors and increase prosocial ones, while vulnerabilities such as aggressive driving anger expression seem to have the opposite effect. Our results provide a better understanding of driving offenders' behavior and the influence of personal dispositions. They also open new interesting research avenues in the prevention of dangerous behaviors among this high-risk population.

Psychological predictors of risky driving: the role of age, gender, personality traits (Zuckerman's and Gray's models), and decision-making styles

The present study was planned to study the relationships between age, personality (according to Zuckerman's and Gray's psychobiological models) and decision-making styles in relation to risky driving behaviors. The participants were habitual drivers, 538 (54.3%) men and 453 (45.7%) women, with a mean age around 45 years and mainly of middle socioeconomic status. The results indicate that the youngest men and women reported more Lapses, Ordinary violations, and Aggressive violations than the oldest men and women. Women reported more Lapses (d = -0.40), and men more Ordinary (d = 0.33) and Aggressive violations (d = 0.28) when driving. Linear and non-linear analysis clearly support the role of both personality traits and decision-making styles in risky driving behaviors. Aggressiveness, Sensitivity to Reward, Sensation Seeking played the main role from personality traits, and Spontaneous and Rational decision-making style also accounted for some variance regarding risky driving behaviors. This pattern was broadly replicated in both genders. The discussion section analyses congruencies with previous literature and makes recommendations on the grounds of observed results.

La relación de los factores de personalidad y la conducción agresiva: los Cinco Grandes y la Tríada Oscura

El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar el papel que los factores de personalidad pertenecientes a los Cinco Grandes y la Tríada Oscura —maquiavelismo, narcisismo y psicopatía— tienen en la conducción agresiva. La muestra se compuso de 318 estudiantes universitarios con permiso de conducir, quienes contestaron a una batería de pruebas que evaluaba los factores de personalidad de los Cinco Grandes (tipi), la Tríada Oscura (dd) y la conducción agresiva (das y dax). Los análisis de regresión jerárquica controlando las variables de edad y sexo, respaldan la utilidad predictiva de los factores de personalidad de los Cinco Grandes y la Tríada Oscura. Los resultados mostraron cómo la afabilidad, la estabilidad emocional y la apertura a la experiencia predicen de manera significativa diversos aspectos de la conducción agresiva. El maquiavelismo y el narcisismo son predictores significativos de diversas formas de expresión de la ira en la conducción, una vez controladoslos efectos de los Cinco Grandes.

A psychodynamic contribution to the understanding of anger - The importance of diagnosis before treatment

This paper starts from the claim that a shared understanding of anger, in both its normal and psychopathological dimensions, is missing and that there are various therapeutic paths that seem to be less effective than those related to other pathologies. A major limitation of anger research and of its treatments lies in the lack of precise clinical diagnoses to inform therapy. For this reason, the first aim of our work is to survey critical literature in order to find useful elements to differentiate anger, starting from the evidence of negative and positive outcomes of treatments. Such evidence will then be enhanced in our proposal of interpretation and intervention, within a dynamic framework and with particular reference to Orefice’s thought. The core focus is to explore the different functions that anger has for the patient and to investigate the elementary functioning of the self. Our reading of the phenomena related to anger will provide useful tools both for understanding the dynamics underlying anger and as a guide for clinical intervention.

Simulating the effect of different lighting conditions on left-turn driving behavior using a scenario-based anger method

Anger is a key factor affecting drivers' subjective judgment and driving skills. The influence of anger on driving behavior has been widely studied, but there is a lack of comparative research under different lighting conditions. Through a driving simulation experiment, this paper studies the influence of anger on left-turn driving behavior under two light conditions day and night. In the experiment, 32 licensed participants were divided into two groups, one in emotional neutrality and the other in anger. Among them, the emotional state of anger is induced by a traffic-related video. The results showed that compared with daytime participants, participants at night had higher anger intensity, shorter gap acceptance, and post encroachment time (PET) when left-turn driving. In addition, compared with neutral emotion participants, angry participants tended to accept shorter gap acceptance and PET when turning left. This indicates that participants failed to respond correctly to left-turn driving behavior in a state of anger. However, the response of gender differences to situational driving anger was not affected by light conditions. The anger intensity of male participants during the day and night was higher than that of female participants, and the gap between acceptance and PETs during left-turn was shorter than that of female participants. This shows that male participants are more likely to produce high-intensity anger and are more likely to make dangerous driving decisions in a state of anger. This paper puts forward some suggestions on identifying anger and preventing angry driving.