Citation

Hutchinson TP. J. Australas. Coll. Road Saf. 2012; 23(1): 5-6.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Australasian College of Road Safety)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

Terror Management Theory (TMT) is interesting in providing a unified explanation of two things: that threat appeals can increase risky driving or risky driving intentions (i.e., produce an effect in the unexpected and undesirable direction), and that threat produces opposite effects in different people. Of course, contrary to this, it is often expected that threat appeals will reduce risky driving (and this expectation is sometimes realized). An effect in this direction is not incompatible with TMT, as it might occur (for example) because conforming with social norms is a psychological defense mechanism,and a means of conforming is by driving safely. TMT does, though, predict that in people for whom driving is linked to their self- esteem, threat appeals will increase risk-taking. Having in mind a clear falsifiable theory, such as TMT, helps greatly in both planning an experimental program and interpreting the results. Even better would be to have several theories that make different predictions in different circumstances.

Language: en