Faculty Publications

The Influence Of Just-World Beliefs On Driving Anger And Aggressive Driving Intentions

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Angry thoughts, Belief in a just world, Driver aggression, Driving anger, General aggression model

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Aggressive Behavior

Volume

38

Issue

5

First Page

389

Last Page

402

Abstract

Decades of research demonstrate that the extent to which one believes the world is just can have important interpersonal consequences. Unfortunately, most of the commonly studied consequences are negative in nature. Guided by previous research demonstrating the buffering effect of just-world beliefs and anger, the present research explores how belief in a just world (BJW) may mitigate anger in the domain of driving anger and examines the limiting conditions of this effect. Study 1 demonstrated the expected negative relation between common measures of BJW and anger expression in a driving context. Study 2 found that the buffering effects of just-world beliefs and driver aggression were greater when BJW was violated (vs. not). Study 3 replicated the effects on aggression and anger and established a mediational role of anger on the buffering effects of just-world beliefs on thoughts and driver aggression. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Department

Department of Psychology

Original Publication Date

9-1-2012

DOI of published version

10.1002/ab.21439

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