The impact of Stereotype Threat on the simulated driving performance of older drivers. 2013

Mélanie Joanisse, and Sylvain Gagnon, and Mihnea Voloaca
School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Cognitive Aging and Driving Laboratory, United States. mjoan022@uottawa.ca

Older drivers are perceived as being dangerous and overly cautious by other drivers. We tested the hypothesis that this negative stereotype has a direct influence on the performance of older drivers. Based on the Stereotype Threat literature, we predicted that older driving performance would be altered after exposure to a Stereotype Threat. Sixty-one older drivers aged 65 and above completed a simulated driving assessment course. Prior to testing, half of the participants were told that the objective of the study was to investigate why older adults aged 65 and above were more implicated in on-road accidents (Stereotype Threat condition) and half were showed a neutral statement. Results confirmed that exposure to the threat significantly altered driving performance. Older adults in the Stereotype Threat condition made more driving mistakes than those in the control group. Interestingly, under a Stereotype Threat condition, older adults tended to commit more speeding infractions. We also observed that domain identification (whether driving is deemed important or not) moderated the impact of the threat. Taken together, these results support recent older drivers' performance models suggesting that the interaction between individual and social factors need to be considered when examining older drivers' performance.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009864 Ontario A province of Canada lying between the provinces of Manitoba and Quebec. Its capital is Toronto. It takes its name from Lake Ontario which is said to represent the Iroquois oniatariio, beautiful lake. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p892 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p391)
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D003198 Computer Simulation Computer-based representation of physical systems and phenomena such as chemical processes. Computational Modeling,Computational Modelling,Computer Models,In silico Modeling,In silico Models,In silico Simulation,Models, Computer,Computerized Models,Computer Model,Computer Simulations,Computerized Model,In silico Model,Model, Computer,Model, Computerized,Model, In silico,Modeling, Computational,Modeling, In silico,Modelling, Computational,Simulation, Computer,Simulation, In silico,Simulations, Computer
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D000369 Aged, 80 and over Persons 80 years of age and older. Oldest Old
D000704 Analysis of Variance A statistical technique that isolates and assesses the contributions of categorical independent variables to variation in the mean of a continuous dependent variable. ANOVA,Analysis, Variance,Variance Analysis,Analyses, Variance,Variance Analyses

Related Publications

Mélanie Joanisse, and Sylvain Gagnon, and Mihnea Voloaca
August 2016, Geriatrics (Basel, Switzerland),
Mélanie Joanisse, and Sylvain Gagnon, and Mihnea Voloaca
September 2003, Accident; analysis and prevention,
Mélanie Joanisse, and Sylvain Gagnon, and Mihnea Voloaca
January 2003, The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences,
Mélanie Joanisse, and Sylvain Gagnon, and Mihnea Voloaca
November 2022, Western journal of nursing research,
Mélanie Joanisse, and Sylvain Gagnon, and Mihnea Voloaca
January 2018, Frontiers in human neuroscience,
Mélanie Joanisse, and Sylvain Gagnon, and Mihnea Voloaca
January 2005, Experimental aging research,
Mélanie Joanisse, and Sylvain Gagnon, and Mihnea Voloaca
July 2023, Neuropsychology, development, and cognition. Section B, Aging, neuropsychology and cognition,
Mélanie Joanisse, and Sylvain Gagnon, and Mihnea Voloaca
January 2017, Traffic injury prevention,
Mélanie Joanisse, and Sylvain Gagnon, and Mihnea Voloaca
January 2009, Experimental aging research,
Copied contents to your clipboard!