Citation

Groeger JA, Chapman PR. Appl. Psychol. 1997; 46(3): 265-285.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, International Association of Applied Psychology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1464-0597.1997.tb01230.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper summarises the results of a number of decision-making studies which attempted to understand why normative information about the incidence of speeding reduces speed limit violation. All tests took place in AIDE, an Animated Interactive Driving Environment, which allows drivers' decision making and tendencies to violate the traffic law to be conveniently studied. Drivers "drove" a predetermined route in the presence of other traffic, encountering on some occasions Variable Message Signs (VMS) which carried information about the percentage of drivers who were not speeding or tailgating. Such VMS information was found to be effective in reducing speeding and tailgating violations, but only where the majority of other drivers present were complying with the traffic law specified on the sign. These results are discussed in terms of the differential effects of normative information, contagion models of speeding, and social comparison. Behavior; Crimes; Decision making; Drivers; Speed; Close following

Language: en