Social Influences Among Young Drivers on Talking on the Mobile Phone While Driving

Abstract

Objective: This study set out to measure the influence of injunctive, subjective, verbal, and behavioral norms on talking on a mobile phone while driving. In particular it examines social influences that have been neglected in past research, namely, injunctive norms and explicit verbal and behavioral norms communicated by law enforcers with regard to using a mobile phone when driving. All four types of social norms have rarely been used in studies of this social phenomenon, except for occasional exceptions drawing on Ajzen's theory of planned behavior, which addresses only one: subjective norms.

Method: Regression analysis of data collected from young drivers from 217 questionnaires is used to predict the intention of motorists to continue talking on their mobile phones while driving. Selective interaction effects, the purpose of the call, and injunctive and subjective norms were included.

Results: The results show that the explicit verbal and behavioral law enforcement norms, the subjective norms, and the interaction of the injunctive norm with the purpose of the call are significant predictors of the unlawful behavior.

Conclusions: The results taken together seem to imply that social marketing is likely to encounter difficulty in changing behavior because the subjective norm (what others think I should do) coupled with the lack of enforcement (verbal norms) play important roles in maintaining the unlawful behavior. Moreover, the perception that talking on the mobile phone while driving is acceptable behavior (injunctive norm) in conjunction with the purpose of the call create further challenges to social marketers. The results have implications on policy makers and enforcers. Law enforcers should do their job to prevent the wrong behavior in the first place. In addition, campaigns may be directed to convince the target audience about the false norms and use persuasive communication to emphasize the potential costs of maintaining the unlawful behavior.

Keywords:

• Social influence
• Mobile phone distraction
• Social norms
• Driving

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The authors are grateful to Dr. Brian Ritchie for the editing of the manuscript and to the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.

Notes

^a Acceptable = To talk on the mobile phone while driving is totally acceptable behavior; Disapproval = My friends would disapprove if I did not talk on the mobile phone while driving; Others’ pressure = Anybody I care about would be mad at me if I stop talking on the mobile phone while driving; Antisocial = Not talking on the mobile phone while driving would be antisocial; Police fines = Police do not fine a driver for talking on the mobile phone while driving; No one stops = Nobody ever stops you if you are talking on the mobile phone while driving; Police warning = Police do not even caution a driver when talking on the mobile phone while driving; Use of time = Making calls while driving is a good opportunity to use time productively (e.g., work); Socialize = I talk on a mobile while driving to keep in touch with friends and family.