Schoen, Noah (2025) Exploring the Interaction Between Susceptibility to Peer Pressure and Listening to Podcasts on Driving Performance. Bachelor thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
This study explored the effects of listening to podcasts on driving performance in a complex simulated driving environment. It also looked at the moderating effects of susceptibility to peer pressure on this relationship. A within-subjects design was used with 26 participants, who each completed two drives, one with and one without listening to a podcast. Driving performance was measured using speed, speed variability, lane swerving, and gap acceptance behaviour. No significant effects of podcast listening or peer pressure susceptibility on the core driving performance outcomes were found. General susceptibility to direct and indirect risk-encouraging peer pressure also did not moderate the effects of listening to podcasts on driving performance. Instead, individuals who were more susceptible to risk-discouraging peer pressure showed a higher speed variability while listening to the podcast. This suggests that people who are more susceptible to safety-focused peer pressure may become more distracted by podcasts while driving. Overall, this study showed that there are no indications that listening to a podcast affects driving performance. Nonetheless, certain individuals’ driving performance may still be affected by podcasts, depending on their susceptibility to peer pressure. This shows that individual differences are an important factor when studying distraction while driving. Future studies could explore these factors and establish a more comprehensive view of auditory distractions, driving performance and individual differences, to reduce risks in traffic and create a safer driving environment.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Waard, D. de and Stuiver, A. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | None [Bachelor Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 07 Jul 2025 10:44 |
| Last Modified: | 07 Jul 2025 10:44 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/5329 |
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