The Predictive Role of visual attention bias in aggressive driving decisions among violation-involved drivers on attitudes of right-of-way

Abstract

This study, based on dual-process theory, explores the aggressive driving decision-making characteristics and cognitive processing of violation-involved drivers in right-of-way infringement scenarios. It aims to identify an eye-movement indicator that can predict drivers’ prosocial behaviors. The study recruited 75 drivers aged 19–58 years, who completed a video-based aggressive driving decision-making test and the Driver Attitudes of Right-of-way Questionnaire (DARQ). The results indicate that age moderates the relationship between violation history and visual attentional bias. Younger drivers with a history of violations exhibit an attentional bias towards aggressive words, whereas older drivers do not. After controlling for age, violation-involved drivers demonstrated a higher rate of aggressive decision-making, especially in situations with very short lane-change time headway. Visual attentional bias towards aggressive words can effectively predict positive emotions in attitudes towards the right-of-way. This suggests that early eye movement indicators during the driving decision-making process represent a form of socioemotional characteristic. The more positive the driver’s right-of-way attitude, the stronger their prosocial behavior and the weaker their intuitive impulsiveness during the early cognitive processing stages of driving decision-making. This indicates that the driving decision-making eye-movement assessment paradigm is an objective and effective method for evaluating drivers’ pro-sociality.