Assessment of the emotional status of Edo State Drivers

A

SIMPLE STUDY AIMED AT ASSESSING

THE

EMOTIONAL STATUS OF EDO STATE DRIVERS

BY

08063775655

October, 2014

ABSTRACT

Monitoring the attentive and emotional status of the driver is critical for the safety and comfort of driving. In this work, a real-time non-intrusive proceeding’s to facilitate the discernment of drivers’ emotional arousal and state shall be elaborated.

In this research, questionnaires were administered to elicit valid and lucid data pertinent the research work with the aim of assessing the emotional status of Edo state drivers by noting the precursors and causes of their emotional turmoil or emotional stability. In the process of administering this questionnaire, facial expression technique of deriving data is also emphasize in relation to the noted data derived from the administered questionnaire.

Emotions and emotional turmoil, as will be elucidated in this research work, has some percentage ratio to the number of recorded accidents. Most drivers seem to be pr-occupied with their daily hassles and needs which at a precipice, could elicit some emotional turmoil in them if not controlled. Emotion is basically an individual internal state of being or a physiological response to a situation therefore in assessing the emotional status of driver there is need to consider some inherent characteristics which explicitly reveals the emotional trends in drivers.

Generally, drivers while on the road tends to delude because of their exasperated or perplexed state due to some inherent  challenges both with their family if married, needs and survival equivalent hence the idea of this research work hoping to well assess the emotional status of drivers [Edo state drivers specifically] and developing procedures to mitigate the risk of accidents.

Table of content

CHAPTER ONE

1.1           Introduction

1.2           Aims and objective

1.3           Significance of the study

1.4           Limitations

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW/RELEVANT LITERATURE

2.1      Concept of emotion

2.2      Functions of emotion

2.3      Effect of emotional turmoil and stability on drivers

2.4      Determinants and consequences of emotions

2.5      Theories of emotion

2.6      Emotion assessments

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1      Data collection technique

3.2      Data analysis and deduction

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1      Conclusion and Recommendation

4.2      References

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

In the course of this write up, the idea of drivers’ emotions, emotional turmoil, emotional stability and the effect of these emotional trends on drivers will be elucidated pioneered by the assessment of the emotional state of drivers in Edo state which is happens to be the purpose of this research. This research focuses on the effect of an individual internal state of being on his driving potential and the immediate risk of accident attached and particularly how these trends can be curtailed.

       Changes in emotions are almost inevitable in drivers, but the prevalence of these emotional changes consistently in drivers could possibly account for stress hence the need for the assessment. Often time’s majority of drivers hit the road while emotionally stressed and this has resulted to several accidents cases. Assessment of the emotional status of drivers is very essential as it will help reveal the percentage of road accident that is as a result of emotional distress.

   Basically, emotion is associated with mood, temperament, personality, disposition, status/social class and motivation all of which influences the release of several hormones and neurotransmitters e.g. serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin. This research seeks to examine the prevalence of this emotional arousal within drivers.

1.2      AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

            The purpose of this research is to give a refine perception about the emotional trends and effect of these trends in drivers.

1.     To evaluate the emotional status of drivers [Edo state drivers]

2.     To decipher to the precursors and causes of the emotional stability or turmoil in drivers [Edo state drivers]

3.     To outline the significance of emotional distress with accident cases

4.     To generate an awareness on the impact of our emotion to our health

5.     It’s is expedient that at the end of this research work, a general orientation of emotional stability and necessity will be established.

1.3      SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

      The idea of this research is to elucidate the emotional trends in drivers by assessing the emotional status of drivers particular to Edo state and to give a preferred solution to some emotional turmoil among drivers. With this research the general idea of how the emotional state of drivers can possibly affect their driving potential is well typified and clarified. 

1.4      LIMITATION

            In the course of assessing the emotional status of Edo state drivers, several intricacies were experienced.

1.     In-sufficient finance to help increase my sphere of observation

2.     Not enough time to gather enough data pertinent to the research work

3.     Little relevant literature

4. Data collection techniques used is just questionnaire which of course has several short comings.

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW AND RELEVANT LITERATURE

2.1      CONCEPT OF EMOTION

            Psychologically and philosophically, emotion is a subjective and conscious experience characterized primarily by psycho-physiological expression, biological reaction and mental states. Emotion basically can be defined as the internal state of being of an individual associated with mood, temperament, personality, social strata and disposition e.t.c.

    Emotion can also be defined as a positive or negative experience that is associated with a particular pattern of physiological activity [Advance English Dictionary]. Emotional arousal results from inherent changes in the human system leading to some hormonal imbalance.

2.2      FUNCTIONS OF EMOTION

            Pertinent to the assessment of the emotional status of drivers, it is essential to explicate the reasons for some emotional changes hence the functions of emotion i.e. why do drivers experience emotions which are almost inevitable.

1.     Adaptive function: Emotions are adaptive in the sense that they promote behaviour that fits the demands of the environment and the pervading situation. Buttressing this point, drivers often express a particular kind of emotion with respect to the surrounding situation e.g. a driver with serious emotional turmoil or disturbance will scenically experience a cool down of his emotions when with friends.

2.     Strategic function: drivers thou in rare cases often accomplish their goals with respect to their emotions. E.g. cases where some sad driver probably due to his or her family state eventually strives to meet up with his or her family needs in trying to halt the disturbance prevalent.

2.3      EFFECT OF EMOTIONAL TURMOIL AND STABILITY ON DRIVERS

            Emotions generally have a profound effect on drivers, but in the course of this research, the effect of emotional turmoil and stability on Edo state drivers will be elaborated.

1.     It causes distress which eventually impedes the psychological balance of the driver.

2.  Drivers focus to a great extent is seriously affected by their emotional disturbances.

3.  According to Stanley Schachter and Jerome E. singer, emotional turmoil or disturbance prompts psychological arousal and impedes cognition. Thus drivers; traumatized by their emotional turmoil, behaviourially expresses some frivolous cognition.

2.4      DETERMINANTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF EMOTION

            According to most current approaches, emotions are caused by a person evaluating an event or encounter, in terms of his or her personal concerns. Thus, an interaction is needed between the driver as a person and the environment. This means that the same event may elicit intense emotions in one person, and none whatsoever in the other. Likewise, different events may elicit similar emotions e.g. a driver who has experienced and his experiencing bankruptcy due the exigent financial needs of his family will definitely experience a serious emotional turmoil. Basically life events or situations, needs or personal concerns, the environment and societal status are possible determinants of emotion therefore the relevance of this concept to this research work which eventually will utilize data derived that are pertinent to these determinants of emotion. Thus these determinants serve a good purpose in the assessment of the emotional status of Edo state drivers as typified in this research questionnaire.

            Emotional disturbance which is evident in most drivers is caused by stress, family background, family needs, environmental factors, daily hassles, live events or traumatic events e.t.c. all of which determine the emotional status of drivers.

2.5      THEORIES OF EMOTION

The development of psychological theories about emotion started more than a century ago. In the end of the 19^th century, William James and Carl Lange, independently of each other, developed about the same ideas about emotions. Their claim was that events cause bodily sensations, which are labelled by the person as an emotion. In the light of the emotional trend in drivers, series of events and of course, daily hassles seriously determines the emotional state of drivers. It is possible to discern that a happy and peaceful person {drivers per se} is actually emotionally stable but when distress {discomfort}, emotional imbalance/turmoil sets-in which eventually; due to the effect on mood and behaviour, affects drivers while on the road.

The theory of emotion sets to explain the possible cause of emotion in the light of assessing the emotional status of drivers in Edo state, therefore the theories discussed here buttresses the impact of emotional turmoil or disturbance on an individual’s mood at an instant. Basically theories of emotion are classified into three categories which are physiological, neurological and cognitive theory under which the two factor theory of emotion will be looked at.

2.5.    1    THE TWO-FACTOR THEORY OF EMOTION

The James-Lange theory refers to a hypothesis on the origin and nature of emotions and is one of the earliest theories of emotion within modern psychology. It was developed independently by two 19^th-century scholars, William James and Carl Lange. The basic premise of the theory is that physiological arousal instigates the experience of a specific emotion. (1) Instead of feeling an emotion and subsequent physiological (bodily) response, the theory proposes that the physiological change is primary, and emotion is then experienced when the brain reacts to the information received via the body’s nervous system. With this theory, distressful information and stimulus causes a primary psychology change in individual i.e. stressful situation poses a disturbance to emotional equilibrium therefore this theory buttresses the fact that drivers emotion is largely determine by life situations and events acting as a stimulus to psychological change.

The theory has been criticized and modified over the course of time, as one of several competing theories. In 2002 a research paper on the autonomous nervous system stated that the theory has been hard to disprove. 

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

METHODOLOGY

      The reliability and validity of any research is quite dependent on the method applied i.e. the level of significance of any research is determine by the research methodology which is the method with which the research is been carried out. In the light of this research work, a given sample within the population of Edo State was observed and data derived via questionnaire method and observation method.

3.1      DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUE

       1.     Questionnaire

       2.     Observation method

3.1.1     RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE

In the course of this research, a questionnaire was design to derive data germane to the research on the assessment of the emotional status of Edo state drivers. The research questionnaire aims at gathering information about the emotional status of Edo state drivers and possibly how it affects them while on the road. The questionnaires were administered to 100 drivers, with 69 commercial drivers and 31 regular car owners.

3.1.2       OBSERVATION

            With respect to the elicited data by the questionnaire approach, respondent were observed without intrusion [un-intrusive observation] to increase the reliability and validity of the data derived from the questionnaire. The observation process was focused on attitudinal display, facial expression and social ability of the respondents which in this case are the drivers in EDO State. With respect to the data derive via the questionnaire method, respondents were observed to ensure validity elicit and counter act spurious information by respondents. E.g. I’m happy but facial expression and attitudinal display says otherwise.

DATA ANALYSIS AND DEDUCTION

TABLE with respect to the sample size of 100 EDO state drivers

69 drivers=commercial drivers

31 drivers=regular car owners

Population/sample stratification	Sample size of strata	Percentage [%]
Distressed driver population	68	68%
Unstressed driver population	32	32%

       Out of the 68 [68%] distressed driving population or drivers with emotional turmoil, 59 [about 87%] were commercial drivers and 9 [about 13%] were regular car owners. While 22 [about 69%] regular car owners out of the 32 emotionally stable/unstressed drivers were unstressed and emotionally stable with only 10 [about 31%] commercial drivers being emotionally stable.

3.2      DATA ANALYSIS/DEDUCTION

            With respect to the above analysis or table of data elicited by the research questionnaire and via observation testing the validity and reliability of this data, it is plausible to say that a vast majority of EDO state commercial drivers are emotional not stable i.e. they are experiencing series of emotional turmoil or disturbance. While a considerable number of regular car owners also experiences emotional turmoil.

            Purely commercial drivers are more exposed or vulnerable to accidents due to trends of their emotional arousal which is as a result of family background, needs, and status, aspiration and daily hassles as well as traumatic events. While on the other hand, regular car owners/drivers as explicated in this research are less affected by their emotional arousal while on the road.

CHAPTER FOUR  

4.1      CONCLUSION/ RECOMMENDATION

4.1.1     CONCLUSION

            Drivers in EDO state are basically affected by their emotional trend as decipher from the above analysis with respect to data deducted from the questionnaire. Explicably, the emotional status of Edo state drivers is largely dependent on the immediate and surrounding situation i.e. the ability of drivers to focus as being in perfect control of their cognition is determined by the stability of psychological arousal and emotional status.

Assessment of the emotions status of EDO State drivers which actually is the purpose of this research cannot be over emphasize as it encompasses all necessary concept such as psychology and cognitive ability all of which are possibly influenced by emotion changes or trends. Majority of drivers in EDO State are married [from analysis] pointing the plausibility that their family status, needs, desires and aspiration could affect the emotion of the drivers respectively which of course has being helpful in assessing the emotional status of EDO State drivers specifically.

4.1.2      RECOMMENDATION

     With respect to the stated facts about emotion, its effects, determinants, causes/consequences and theories it is exigent that new strategies be put in place to help curtail the rife of emotional turmoil amongst drivers. Thus, with respect to this research, I recommend:

1.   A prolific enlightenment programmed should be executed to facilitate understanding of the effect of emotional disturbance on drivers.

2.          The need for a stable emotion and body psychology should be well explicated to drivers.

3.      Measures should be carried out to check the emotional status of drivers in Edo State in order to ensure their safety and survival on the road.

4.     Continual assessment of drivers’ emotional trend so as to understand how emotion when imbalanced could lead to accident.

4.2      REFERENCES

Ajzen, I. (1985). From intentions to actions: a theory of planned behavior. In: J. Kuhl & J. Beckmann (Eds.), Action control: From cognition to behavior. Berlin: Springer.

Alloy, B., & Abramson, L.Y. (1979). Judgment of contingency in depressed and nondepressed students: sadder but wiser? Journal of Experimental Psychology, 108, 441–485.

Alloy,  B.,  Abramson,  L.Y.,  &  Viscusi,  D.  (1981).  Induced  mood  and  the illusion of control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 41, 1129–1140.

Appel,  C.,  Blomkvist,  A.,  Persson,  L.,  &  Sjöberg,  L.  (1980).  Mood  and achievement in a difficult driving task. Ergonomics, 23, 605‐612.

Argyle, M., Martin, M., & Lu, L. (1995). Testing for stress and happiness: the role  of  social  and  cognitive  factors.  In:  C.D.  Spielberger  and  I.G. Sarason (Eds.), Stress and Emotion. Washington: Taylor & Francis. 

Armitage, C.J., Conner, M., & Norman, P. (1999). Differential effects of mood on     information processing: evidence from the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour. European Journal of Social Psychology, 29, 419‐433.