Does a prosocial attitude reduce risky driving behaviour under time pressure?

Abstract

Time pressure could make drivers exhibit more risky driving behaviour. Attitudes can influence people’s behaviours, but few studies have explored the influence of prosocial attitudes on driving behaviour. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of prosocial attitudes on driving behaviour under time pressure. A 2 (high/low prosocial attitude) *2 (present/no time pressure) mixed design was used to investigate the interaction between prosocial attitude and time pressure on driving behaviour. Prosocial attitudes and time pressure have a significant main effect on driving behaviour. Drivers with high prosocial attitudes made lane changes at a greater distance from pedestrians and decelerated to a greater degree than drivers with low prosocial attitudes when interacting with pedestrians. Under time pressure, people drive faster and accelerate more quickly. Specifically, we found an interaction between time pressure and prosocial attitudes on driving behaviour. Drivers with low prosocial attitudes showed higher speeds than drivers with high prosocial attitudes under the time pressure scenario on foggy roads. The results showed that high prosocial attitudes lead to friendly interactions with pedestrians and careful driving in specific situations, even under time pressure. The present study not only expands the research on driving behaviour and attitude but can also provide some data support and guidance for driver selection and training.