Don't be upset! Can cars regulate anger by communication?

Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksArticle in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

Authors

In a driving simulator study we explore several strategies targeted to regulate drivers’ anger via particular communications initiated by the car. The simulator drive included several critical driving events as well as several emotion regulation strategies initiated by the system. The events impeded drivers’ progress towards their destination, and were caused by another driver. Following a driving event the driver was involved with one out of four different communication strategies. One strategy was based on the idea to change the nature of the current driving situation by providing an alternate route (Situation Modification). A second strategy tried to shift drivers’ attention to a non-driving related topic (Attentional Deployment). A third strategy induced an alternate interpretation of the emotion eliciting event (Cognitive Change). The fourth strategy attempted to modulate drivers’ affective state using a relaxation technique (Response Modulation). All strategies included in the study are concerned with down-regulating emotions that typically have a negative valence such as anxiety, fear, sadness, and anger. Participants rated their experienced emotion via the Self Assessment Manikin. Preliminary results indicate that under some conditions a technical system such as a car may be able to modify drivers’ affective state.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHuman Factors of Systems and Technology : on the occasion of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Europe Chapter Annual Meeting in Leeds, England, October 2011
EditorsDick de Waard, Natasha Merat, Hamish Jamson, Yvonne Barnard, Oliver Carsten
Number of pages12
PublisherShaker Publishing
Publication date2012
Pages223-234
ISBN (Print)978-90-423-0416-1
Publication statusPublished - 2012
EventHuman Factors of Systems and Technology - 2013 - Leeds, United Kingdom
Duration: 19.10.201121.10.2011