Findings on Risk Management Discussed by Investigators at National University (Implicit attitudes and road safety behaviors. The helmet-use case)

Insurance Weekly News

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Investigators publish new report on Risk Management. According to news originating from Mar del Plata, Argentina, by VerticalNews correspondents, research stated, "We studied the role of implicit attitudes on road safety behaviors."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from National University, "We also explored the methodological benefits of using implicit measures to complement conventional self-reporting instruments. The results suggest that: (a) implicit attitudes are capable of predicting observed differences in the use of protective devices (helmet use); (b) implicit attitudes correlate with the emotional component of the explicit attitudes (e.g., perception of comfort-discomfort), but appear to be independent of the more cognitive components (e.g., perceived benefits); © the emotional component of the explicit attitudes appears to be the major predictor of behavior; and (d) implicit measures seem to be more robust against social desirability biases, while explicit measure are more sensitive to such bias."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "We conclude that indirect and automatic measures serve as an important complement to conventional direct measures (self-reports) because they provide information on psychological processes that are qualitatively different (implicit) and can also be more robust when it comes to response bias."

For more information on this research see: Implicit attitudes and road safety behaviors. The helmet-use case. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 2015;79():190-197. Accident Analysis and Prevention can be contacted at: Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, England. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Accident Analysis and Prevention - www.elsevier.com/wps/product/cws_home/336)

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from R.D. Ledesma, Univ Nacl Mar del Plata, RA-7600 Mar Del Plata, Argentina. Additional authors for this research include J. Tosi, F.M. Poo, S.A. Montes and S.S. Lopez.