Thought the readers of this list might be amused by a
study reported in a recent issue of the American Psychological
Association's "Monitor" newsletter. Seems a group of researchers,
interested in studying "road rage," designed the following
experiment:
One of the experimenters drives up to a stop sign, and
then fails to proceed through the intersection when it
is safe to do so. After a few moments, the experimenter is
impeding the flow of traffic and the drivers behind
the experimenter are beginning to get angry. The experimenter
records the reactions of the drivers stuck behind, especially
how long before they begin honking their horns and how long
they honk.
The drivers least likely to become enraged, to use their horns excessively,
etc? Those driving convertibles with the tops down.
The researchers write, "It appears that an enclosed automobile may
provide the occupant with a sense of anonymity which, in turn,
serves to facilitate aggressive behavior." (Journal of Social
Behavior and Personality.)
Dan Greenberg
Ann Arbor, MI
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