Quantitative Review of the Relationship Between Anger and Aggressive Driving

• NCJ Number: 218214
• Journal: Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 12 Issue: 2 Dated: March-April 2007 Pages: 156-176
• Author(s): Sunde M. Nesbit; Judith C. Conger; Anthony J. Conger
• Date Published: March 2007
• Length: 21 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Literature Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This review of research literature examined the relationship between overall anger and aggressive driving.

Abstract

Overall, anger was found to be positively and moderately related to aggressive driving; however, contrary to what was hypothesized, this relationship was not moderated by anger type (i.e. state or trait). The research suggests the need to examine the relationship between anger and aggressive driving as being moderated by anger type. Although driving anger was initially conceptualized under the rubric of state-trait theory, the relationship between anger and aggressive driving may be better explained by other models of emotion and personality. A review of alternative models suggests that the relationship between anger and aggressive driving may be more complex than is currently conceptualized. It is likely that methodological and cognitive appraisal variables both directly and indirectly influence this relationship. These variables should be considered in future research, and the scope of the anger-aggression relationship should be expanded to incorporate these concepts. More research should be conducted on the instruments used to assess driving anger. Also, the distinction between periodic driving anger and habitual aggressive driving should be more clearly delineated in future research. Literature was collected by using various recommended search strategies, including a computerized bibliographic database search, the ancestry approach, and a hand search of important journals. The criteria for the search were that the study be published in 1989 or later; that it must have been conducted with an adequate sample (case examples were excluded); that the study be published by a peer-reviewed journal or book; that it involve a unique sample; that it report on the two variables of interest; and that the study involve the measurement of anger and some measure of aggressive driving. 4 tables, 12 notes, and 73 references