Drivers’ attitudes,preference, and acceptance of in-vehicle anger intervention systems and their relationships to demographic and personality characteristics

This research conducted focus group interviews and a questionnaire survey to investigate the potential demand of drivers for anger intervention systems (AISs) and explore the effects of demographic factors and personality traits on the preference and attitudes toward AISs. Results indicate that drivers prefer auditory intervention over tactile and visual interventions. Moreover, they favor emotion recording features but also have negative attitudes about accuracy and system security. In addition, age and some personality traits (i.e., types of driving anger and categories of driving anger expressions) play an important role in predicting the preference of intervention modalities or attitudes toward AISs and provide a new perspective on designing customized intervention systems. The outcome of this research provides practical implications regarding the design of in-vehicle anger intervention systems for the automotive industry to reduce drivers’ anger and improve driving safety.     

The expression of anger amongst Turkish taxi drivers

The present study tested the four factor structure of the DAX on a sample of Turkish taxi drivers and the relationship these factors had with a number of other variables. Confirmatory Factor Analysis found that the data broadly fit the four factor solution of the DAX. These factors included three aggressive expressions: Verbal Aggressive Expression; Personal Physical Aggressive Expression; Use of a Vehicle to Express anger, and one Adaptive/Constructive factor. Driving experience was negatively related to the three types of aggressive expression. The Total Aggressive Expression was positively related to annual mileage and preferred driving speed, but negatively related to age and experience. The present research also found that the three aggressive types of anger expression were significantly related to potentially crash related conditions, such as losing control of the vehicle, loss of concentration and near-misses. However, none of the DAX factors was significantly related to either minor or major crashes.     

甘肃河西河东城乡男女居民攻击性调查研究

以甘肃省为例,探讨不同区域居民的攻击性状态。采取分层抽样的方法,抽取甘肃省11个市域成人居民为调查对象,运用攻击性问卷(AQ)进行测量。结果表明,甘肃居民的攻击性都不高,但其攻击性倾向却普遍存在,且攻击性的表现形式多以言语攻击和敌意认知为主;男性的身体攻击、言语攻击显著高于女性,女性的愤怒情绪显著高于男性;农民的攻击性各维度及总分均显著高于市民;河东居民的身体攻击和攻击性总分显著高于河西居民;文化程度低的居民身体攻击、愤怒情绪和攻击性总分均显著高于文化程度高的居民。同时指出区域是影响攻击性的重要因素。     

Assessing emotions related to learning new software: The computer emotion scale

To date, little research has been done on the role of emotions with respect to computer related behaviours. The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable, valid scale to assess emotions while learning with computers. Four emotions (anger, anxiety, happiness, and sadness), selected after a detailed review of the research, were evaluated. Internally reliability estimates were acceptable. Construct validity was confirmed by an exploratory factor analysis. Convergent validity was supported by strong correlations among emotions and affective attitude, but not cognitive and behavioural attitudes. Finally, predictive validity was corroborated by consistent and significant correlations among emotion, computer knowledge, and use.     

There is more to anger coping than "in" or "out".

There is growing dissatisfaction with a dichotomized "anger-in" versus "anger-out" view of anger coping. Three studies using student and community adult samples revealed a broader understanding of the nature of anger coping styles and led to the development of the new Behavioral Anger Response Questionnaire (BARQ). The BARQ is empirically derived and factorially validated and has good psychometrics. Results suggest that dichotomizing anger responses as "in" versus "out" is too coarse and that a 6-factor model may be more appropriate. The 6 factors identified here are Direct Anger-Out, Assertion, Support-Seeking, Diffusion, Avoidance, and Rumination. Women reported use of a wider range of anger coping styles, especially more social support-seeking and more use of anger diffusion strategies than men. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of the Effects of Biodiesel and Mineral Diesel Fuel Dilution on Aged Engine Oil Properties

Dilution of engine oil occurs when fuel is injected late in the combustion cycle to regenerate the diesel particulate filter used for trapping particulate emissions. Fuel dilution reduces oil viscosity and the concentration of engine oil additives, potentially compromising lubricant performance. Biodiesel usage may compound these issues due to its oxidative instability, and its higher boiling point compared to mineral diesel potentially causes it to concentrate more in the oil sump.

In this work, different amounts of mineral diesel and biodiesel (soy methyl ester, SME) were combined with 15W-40 CJ-4 diesel engine oil in laboratory oil aging experiments. Fuel was added and oil samples were withdrawn at periodic intervals. The oils were analyzed using typical oil analysis procedures to determine their condition, and wear evaluations under boundary lubricating conditions were determined using a high-frequency reciprocating rig (HFRR). Results showed that fuel dilution accelerated engine oil degradation, with biodiesel having a larger effect. However, friction remained unchanged with dilution, and wear actually decreased for fuel-diluted oils after 48 h of aging compared to aging without fuel dilution. Examination of the tribofilms by ultraviolet (UV) and visible Raman spectroscopy as well as Auger electron spectroscopy showed that additional carbon-containing components were present on tribofilms formed from fuel-diluted oils. These fuel-derived components may be responsible for the decreased wear observed.     

Driving anger in Ukraine: Appraisals,not trait driving anger,predict anger intensity while driving

Trait driving anger is often, but not always, found to predict both the intensity of anger while driving and subsequent crash-related behaviours. However, a number of studies have not found support for a direct relationship between one's tendency to become angry and anger reported while driving, suggesting that other factors may mediate this relationship. The present self-report study investigated whether, in anger provoking driving situations, the appraisals made by drivers influence the relationship between trait and state anger. A sample of 339 drivers from Ukraine completed the 33-item version of the Driver Anger Scale (DAS; Deffenbacher et al., 1994) and eight questions about their most recent experience of driving anger. A structural equation model found that the intensity of anger experienced was predicted by the negative evaluations of the situation, which was in turn predicted by trait driving anger. However, trait driving anger itself did not predict anger intensity; supporting the hypothesis that evaluations of the driving situation mediate the relationship between trait and state anger. Further, the unique structure of the DAS required to fit the data from the Ukrainian sample, may indicate that the anger inducing situations in Ukraine are different to those of a more developed country. Future research is needed to investigate driving anger in Ukraine in a broader sample and also to confirm the role of the appraisal process in the development of driving anger in both developed and undeveloped countries.     

Demographic and psychosocial variables associated with good and bad perceptions of social media use

Social Exchange Theory suggests that adults evaluate good and bad consequences of social relationships they experience, so the present study expected them to also report good and bad perceptions of social media, with perceptions varying according to demographic and psychosocial characteristics. Study participants included 201 working adults (74.6% women; 90.0% Caucasian; mean age = 44.8 years) who completed online surveys to report demographics (gender, age, children, work hours, health problems), psychosocial variables (anger, self-esteem, job satisfaction, family support, friend support), and perceptions of good and bad consequences of using social media. ANCOVAs to examine demographic variables revealed that good perceptions of social media were most reported by younger individuals, and bad perceptions of social media were reported most by younger individuals and those with health problems. Multiple regression analyses to examine psychosocial variables revealed that good perceptions of social media were reported most by angry individuals with strong friend support, and bad perceptions of social media were reported most by angry individuals with low self-esteem. One interpretation of present results is that individuals use social media as a coping behavior to release anger and gather social support, although it may also produce social criticism, feeling left out, and reduced self-esteem.     

Development, refinement, and psychometric properties of the Attitudes Toward God Scale (ATGS-9).

Perceived relationships with God can be a source of comfort or struggle. To advance the study of spiritual comfort and struggle, we develop the nine-item Attitudes toward God Scale (ATGS-9), and we describe six studies (2,992 total participants) reporting its development and psychometrics. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified two factors: (1) Positive Attitudes toward God and (2) Disappointment and Anger with God. Subscale scores showed good estimated internal consistency, 2-week temporal stability, and evidence for construct and discriminant validity. Positive Attitudes toward God correlated with measures of religiosity and conscientiousness. Disappointment and Anger with God correlated with negative religious coping, lower religious participation, more distress, higher neuroticism, and entitlement. These results support the ATGS-9 as a brief measure of attitudes toward God. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Response Styles in the Assessment of Anger Expression.

This study demonstrates how mixture distribution item response models can be used to detect different response styles in the clinical assessment of anger expression. Analyses of 3 subscales of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory in a clinical sample of 4,497 patients revealed that there are different response styles that manifest themselves in 2- and 3-class solutions. These solutions are robust across subsamples. Response styles reflect both psychologically meaningful biases (i.e., social desirability) and nonmeaningful response category preferences. Person parameters that correct for class membership (and thus, for response styles) are computed and compared with raw scores. The implications of these results for research on clinical assessment are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)