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Cognition and character traits as determinants of young children’s behaviour in traffic situations

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Author

  • Valdimar Briem
  • Hans Bengtsson

Summary, in English

Young children, 3 to 6 years’ old, were observed in two situations: (1) a traffic model, where they used dolls to enact the movements of two children on the way to and from day care; and (2) as they crossed a lightly trafficked, minor road in a situation analogous to that in the model. Atotal of 131 children participated. All were tested in the model situation (a), both on understanding of safety and safety devices and on road-crossing behaviour. The latter was seen as a task consisting of three components (i) using a zebra crossing, (ii) stopping at the curb, and (iii) looking for cars. Asubgroup of 47 children was tested on three character traits, activity, distraction, and impulsivity. Another subgroup of 45 children participated in the roadside situation (b). The results show that although both age and understanding were important predictors of appropriate behaviour in both traffic situations, the behaviour components were differentially related to these factors. Of the character traits, impulsivity was found to be reliably related to traffic behaviour.

Publishing year

2000

Language

English

Pages

492-505

Publication/Series

International Journal of Behavioral Development

Volume

24

Issue

4

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Topic

  • Psychology

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1464-0651