The Impact of Social Learning Theory

Research Evaluation

Road Conditionality and Personality: An Exploratory Study Among Young Male and Female French Drivers

Summary of Article

The article aims to increase the available knowledge of young drivers’ behavior to reduce accidents and improve road safety. The research study was conducted in France, and the authors focused on young drivers because they are more likely to be killed on the road than other drivers. The article authors have used the theory of conditionality and the concept of Locus of Control. The theory of conditionality posits that patterns are conditional, and a tool was invented to measure highway code transgressions in the traffic field. The locus of Control allows us to measure personality traits. The study was exploratory and comprised 29 young female and 21 young male drivers (Gaymard & Tiplica, 2018). All the study participants filled out both tools. Comparisons focused on age, gender, and education level for the two measurement types. Study participants were from the Arts and Humanities Faculty. The average age of the study participants was 20.2 years, and they had a driver’s license for an average of 21.7 months. The average age of the female drivers was 19.9 and for the young male drivers was 20.67 (Gaymard & Tiplica, 2018). There were six hypotheses the authors developed, and they managed to validate all of the hypotheses. Although some of them were only moderately confirmed.

Author’s Position Statement

In all societies and fields, males tend to take more risks, which is evident in road accidents. Young drivers have a higher risk of road accidents due to their lack of experience and age-related factors. It is vital to increase the knowledge of young drivers’ behavior to reduce road accidents. Gender plays a huge role in the risk-taking attitude of males, making it difficult to control. It seems males are naturally prone to taking risks, and the same is replicated on the roads, where they tend to attempt overtaking in dangerous areas, ignore speed limits, and not obey traffic rules. These behaviors devastate their lives, and the current study attempts to add to the existing knowledge using two theoretical approaches, namely the theory of conditionality and Locus of Control. The theory of conditionality is derived from social thinking, and the Locus of Control describes personality traits (Galvin et al., 2018).

Validity of the Research

The study’s validity can be confirmed because it uses two well-studied and validated tools. The authors used the Conditional Scripts Questionnaire (CSQ) to measure conditionality (Gaymard & Tiplica, 2018). The CSQ is a tool that allows for the contextualization of drivers’ behavior as closely as possible. The circumstances that justify driver transgression can be analyzed using the tool. The theory of conditionality relies on the articulation among prescription and condition. There might be circumstances justifying the failure to obey the rule and making the transgression seem legitimate. However, this does not make the transgression valid and should not be emulated by others. Julian Rotter developed the concept of Locus of Control, which is elaborated in the field of social learning theory. Rotter posited that LOC is a stable personality variable, and we can rely on it to predict individual personalities. To understand individuals’ behavior, we should consider their environmental aspects. Therefore, when analyzing the behavior of young drivers, we should not ignore environmental influences.

The CSQ can be used to evaluate 127 driving situations. However, the study only employed specific scenarios that questioned the respondents about possible transgressions. Focusing on the possible transgressions ensures the respondents remain focused on the study’s aims, further confirming its validity. The Rotter Scale, on the other hand, focuses on the forced choice of either internal or external response (Galvin et al., 2018). The authors employed the Mann-Whitney test to gauge the significant differences between men and women, age, and academic year (Perme & Manevski, 2019) based on their answers to the CSQ and LOC questions.

The study focuses on the six hypotheses developed by the authors and works towards confirming or denying the hypotheses. From the study, we can see the authors have presented the results based on the hypotheses they had developed. Using two different tools adds to the study’s validity, as shown by the authors, where they would find a significant difference using one tool and not find the same with the other tool. A good example is the differences between men and women based on their answers to the LOC and CSQ. In the CSQ, it was clear that women are less conditional than men and find less circumstances for violating traffic rules (Gaymard & Tiplica, 2018). However, in the LOC, there was only a significant difference in only one case. By comparing the results of the two studies, we can see what influences the behavior of the young drivers. Determining if it is conformity or personality allows for the right strategies to be implemented so behavior modification can be affected.

The study results have been backed by other studies indicating the same. Young female drivers are less conditional and rarely willing to take risks. Other studies have revealed that accidents involving young male drivers are linked to voluntary risk-taking. Therefore, we can be certain the study results are valid because they have indicated the same as the other studies. In the health field, it has long been known that internal individuals are more preventive, and the study has established the same. Young female drivers are internal, which is why they are less prone to transgressions. Also, we can see that the very young drivers transgress less than those more experienced male drivers. Validity is further confirmed by older researchers who focused on traffic safety and the role of LOC in predicting safe behavior. The current study uncovers similar results and indicates people with high internal LOC take fewer risks and focus on preventing accidents.

Contemporary Relevance

The study is relevant in improving road safety because it highlights the motivation and the influences young people have, making them have transgressions on the highway. Without understanding the transgressions’ motivations, rectifying behavior would not be possible. Therefore, by first focusing on the reason behind the transgressions, we can see that personality plays a critical role since individuals with a high internal LOC would be more alert. LOC is a vital variable when analyzing traffic safety, and we should consider it if we are to improve road safety. The study results can be used to explain why high numbers of young drivers are killed on the road. Authorities can then formulate better strategies like improving the curriculum or implementing tougher punishment to rectify the reckless behavior.