The Differences in Tailgating Between Men and Women

1. The Differences in Tailgating Between Men and Women Carla Kuhl & Rebekah Whited, Psychology Mentor: Dwight A. Hennessy, Ph.D. Abstract Method This study investigated the differences in tailgating between men and women. A gender difference was hypothesized where men would drive closer to other vehicles in general and tailgate more often. Tailgating is defined as the distance between the driver’s car and the car in front of it as being less than two car lengths (Guetti & Kuhl). Through the use of self-report questionnaires and a driver simulator, we measured distance between the participant and a preceding vehicle. Overall men did drive closer to the preceding vehicle than women and the majority of tailgaters (5 of 6 tailgaters) were men. Participants For this study, there were 34 participants, including 18 women and 16 men, convenience sampled from the Buffalo State College population. The average age for men was 21.37, ranging in ages from 18-25. The mean age for women was 21.44, ranging in ages from 19-25. Materials & Procedure Participants initially completed self reported demographic and driving related questions . After completion, they drove in a driving simulator, created from the Need for Speed-Porsche Unlimited software. During this study, the drivers were only provided with a driver’s view of the game, and were seated in an enclosed setting with a force feedback steering wheel, pedals for gas and breaking, 26 “ computer screen as the windshield display, and Toyota Celica driver’s seat. Their journey was recorded and later replayed by researchers to measure spacing and tailgating. From the recorded journey of each participant, the spacing between their vehicle and the preceding vehicle was measured in cm. This was not used to indicate an actual distance but instead a scale approximation of this distance. The view used to measure this distance was the same as the view the participants saw when actually driving in the simulator. Discussion This study has supported the hypothesis that men tend to show a smaller personal space preference in that they drive at closer distances, on average, to preceding vehicles than do women. Our hypothesis was confirmed where men were more likely to tailgate than women, defined as driving within two car lengths. This represents a greater danger in the high speed driving environment. One important implication from this study is that it was young men who tended to engage in tailgating behavior more frequently. This might reveal a tendency of young men towards more risky/dangerous behavior. One important factor to remember when reviewing these results is that there was a limited age range for this study. For example, this study included younger adults, who might have a different preferences concerning space than older generations. Another implication is that this is a simulated environment and not actual driving. Background Personal space has been defined as the amount of distance an individual sets between oneself and another (Sommer, 1959). As noted by Sommer, this space can vary between individuals, but also depends on situational factors. When driving, personal space extends beyond the person to surround their vehicle. However, the sense of anonymity and the fast speeds individuals are traveling at combine to create a unique environment that contributes to perceptions of space that are different than in other environments (Hennessy, Carr, & Howard, 2010). For the purpose of this study, tailgating has been defined as the space between the driver’s car and the car in front as being less than two car lengths in distance (Guetti & Kuhl, 2011). As exhibited in Elliot and Cohen’s (1981) study, there are differences in men and women’s personal space, and how each react to a decrease or increase in such. Men are also more likely to take risks in driving and to come in conflict with other drivers (Hennessy et al., 2010). Therefore, based on this information, we predicted that there would be differences in the space preferences, as exhibited in tailgating behavior, between men and women, with the hypothesis that men would engage in tailgating behavior more frequently. Future Directions or Implications This study could have definite impact in future research. It could lead to investigating the personality differences between men and women and how that plays a role in subsequent tailgating behavior. Perhaps evaluations of real driving context could be done in the future. It could also impact the car insurance companies and how different rates are applied to men and women. Results A t-Test showed that there was a gender effect driver spacing where men showed closer distances to the preceding vehicle than women (t(32)=3.47, p<.05). The mean for men was 11.41 cm, and the mean for women was 12.62 cm. The indicator for tailgating was a distance between the participant’s car and the car in front being within 10.5 cm, which represented the scaled distance of within two car lengths distance. Out of the 34 participants, 6 were gauged as being within this tailgating distance, 5 of whom were men. Select References Elliot, E. S., & Cohen, J. L. (1981). Social facilitation effects via interpersonal distance. The Journal of Social Psychology, 114, 237-249. Carr, E., Hennessy, D., Howard, S. R. (2010). Driver space preference: Differences across age, gender, and traffic conditions. Sommer, R. (1959). Studies in Personal Space. Sociometry, 247-276.