United States Department of Transportation
[PDF-3.16 MB]
Details:
-
Creators:
-
Corporate Creators:
-
Corporate Contributors:
-
Subject/TRT Terms:
-
Publication/ Report Number:
-
DOI:
-
Resource Type:
-
Geographical Coverage:
-
Edition:Final Report (March 2021 – April 2022)
-
Corporate Publisher:
-
Abstract:Because road user behavior is a common factor in traffic crashes, we must explore ways to encourage safer behaviors. Traffic safety culture recognizes that intentional behavior is influenced by the values, beliefs, and attitudes shared among a group of people. Therefore, to change behavior within a group, it is necessary to change beliefs. However, changing beliefs is difficult. The aims of this project were to (1) understand the processes and conditions that influence belief formation and change and (2) provide guidance to safety stakeholders in the design of effective strategies to change traffic safety culture. A literature review was conducted to provide a narrative synthesis of relevant information. These results were used to create a resource for traffic safety practitioners about belief change. The resource distilled the results into an assessment with information about what the guidance was, how it can be helpful, how to use the guidance, and an assessment with 11 questions. Two key conclusions from this narrative review included that (1) we may form a new belief when we perceive an event (i.e., a precursor event) that we cannot explain and (2) we may form a belief because it makes us feel good (i.e., the belief generates a positive emotion). This implies that effective strategies to change beliefs – and therefore behavior – should alert the perceiver to the unexpected consequences and contradictions of their beliefs and demonstrate positive emotions that may be experienced with alternative beliefs.
-
Format:
-
Funding:
-
Collection(s):
-
Main Document Checksum:
-
Download URL:
-
File Type:
