FIELD-DEPENDENCE, SENSATION SEEKING AND DRIVING BEHAVIOR

This study related field dependence-independence (FDI) to accident involvement, and perceived causes of accidents and traced these relationships to the sensation-seeking (SS) tendency of the field-dependent driver. The concomitant effects of internal/external locus of control (IE) were also studied. Subjects (285) filled out a questionnaire assessing their level of FDI, SS, IE, number of accidents, as well as the attributed importance of various possible causes of their last accident. No relationship was shown between FDI and SS, and either the number of accidents or the importance attributed to various causes of accidents. Significant relationships were obtained between FDI and SS, and seat-belt use and SS, and speed on the highway.