Understanding Risky Behavior in Sustainable Driving among Young Adults: Exploring Social Norms, Emotional Regulation, Perceived Behavioral Control, and Mindfulness

Andrei-Lucian Marian (), Laura-Elena Chiriac, Vlad Ciofu and Manuela Maria Apostol
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Andrei-Lucian Marian: Teacher Training Department, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi, Toma Cozma Street, No. 3, 700554 Iasi, Romania
Laura-Elena Chiriac: Psychology Department, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi, Toma Cozma Street, No. 3, 700554 Iasi, Romania
Vlad Ciofu: Psychology Department, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi, Toma Cozma Street, No. 3, 700554 Iasi, Romania
Manuela Maria Apostol: Psychology Department, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi, Toma Cozma Street, No. 3, 700554 Iasi, Romania

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 15, 1-15

Abstract: This study examines the effectiveness of a predictive model for risky driving behavior among young adults, focusing on psychological factors such as self-deceptive enhancement, impression management, emotional regulation difficulties, and perceived behavioral control. Additionally, it explores the mediating effect of mindfulness on the relationship between self-deceptive enhancement and risky driving behavior, with an emphasis on sustainable driving practices. Using a nonexperimental, cross-sectional design, the study investigates risky driving behavior among young Romanian drivers through a quantitative methodology. Data were collected from 436 participants using a pretested and adapted set of questionnaires (CR, PDS, ICI, DERS, MAAS). The analysis was conducted with SPSS (version 20) and Hayes’s PROCESS tool. The findings indicate that impression management strongly predicts risky driving behavior. The model’s efficiency differs by gender: for drivers who are men, impression management and perceived behavioral control are crucial predictors, whereas for drivers who are women, impression management and self-deceptive enhancement are more significant. Moreover, the study identifies a significant indirect effect of self-deceptive enhancement on risky driving behavior through mindfulness. Specifically, lower levels of self-deceptive enhancement indirectly reduce risky driving behaviors by fostering mindfulness, which promotes adaptive and sustainable driving styles and consequently encourages safer driving practices.

Keywords: risky driving behavior; sustainable driving; impression management; self-deceptive enhancement; perceived behavioral control; mindfulness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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