Bumper stickers make blood boil

Posted by Ricki Sharpe on July 1, 2008
Filed Under Personality

Drivers who personalise their cars with bumper stickers, custom plates and other such markings are likely to be more aggressive and confrontational out on the road, according to a report in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology. People use their rear bumper to mark their territory, in much the same way as a dog lifts his leg on your front garden.

Those stickers make cars an extension of their drivers’ home turf, which they will defend if they feel you’re threatening it in any way. Conversely, people whose cars retain their stock appearance are more likely to show patience behind the wheel.

Aggression was measured through actions such as horn use, tailgating, blocking traffic and intimidating or trying to drive other people off the road.

The authors of the study, from Colorado State University, said the presence of these territory markers‘ were better indicators of aggressive drivers than a car’s age, condition or value.

The study, which involved more than 500 participants, showed people who applied stickers promoting love and peace were just as likely to be vicious on the road as those whose stickers contained offensive language.

It doesn’t matter whether the sign reads Baby on board or Horn broken, watch for finger, the more bumper stickers a car carries, the more aggressive the driver.

Study co-author Paul Bell found that drivers who had at least one marker in or on their car were 15 per cent more likely to retaliate when they felt their territory had been threatened.

Mr Bell said the findings were not surprising, as humans shared many similar instincts with animals when it came to protecting their own possessions and personal space.

So, the next time you’re getting yelled at, honked at, or getting the finger from another driver, try to sneak a peek at the rear bumper as they drive off in a huff. Chances are you’ll find some reading material there.

Reference

Szlemko, W. J., Benfield, J. A., Bell, P. A., Deffenbacher, J. L., & Troup, L. (2008). Territorial Markings as a Predictor of Driver Aggression and Road Rage. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 38, 1664-1688.

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