A model of personality, general mental ability, and motivation for predicting driving performance

Previous research in the area of driving performance has typically used either archival data relating to crash involvement and/or moving violations, or has relied on observer ratings of performance. More recently, researchers have turned to driving simulators as a means to overcome the shortcomings of the previously identified performance measures.; The current study was organized around three purposes. First, to develop a model of driving performance based on individual differences in personality, general mental ability (GMA), and motivation. Second, to construct a taxonomy of motivation, identified as Motivational Focus, by identifying intentions that differentially affect behaviors. Third, to design a dependent variable that addresses many of the problems currently evident in driving research through the use of four behaviors closely associated with driving performance (Responsiveness, Accommodation, Accuracy, & Policy Following).; Data was collected from 153 individuals that had, or were currently, participating in research at the Iowa Driver Simulator located in the Center for Computer Aided Design at the University of Iowa. Subjects were asked to provide information about their driving history and filled out research instruments to identify their personality, GMA, and motivation.; Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify the construct of Motivational Focus and the four dimensions of driving performance. Structural equation modeling was utilized to test several causal models of Motivational Focus as a mediator in the relationship between personality and driving performance as well as the direct path between GMA and driving performance.; Results of the current study indicate that key personality traits (Extraversion, Agreeableness, & Conscientiousness) are casually related to the motivational foci of Self-Focus, Relationship-Focus, and Task-Focus (.20, .26, & .30, respectively). Additionally, Task-Focus may activate Relationship-Focus and Self-Focus based on the requirements of the situation (.43 & .03, respectively). Finally, a negative causal relationship was found from Self-Focus to the driving behavior identified as Policy Following (−.16), while no evidence was found which linked GMA directly to any behaviors associated with driving performance. In so doing, the current study contributes a model of driving performance for other researchers to test and build on.