Psychology Term Paper
Anber Nickelberry
General Psychology

Baseline Information
I. State the Problem Drivers are using courteous driving practices. Research suggests that drivers will not allow entry from
II. lanes when needed by other drivers. Research was gathered for 5 days during weekend and weekday hours. Of all the research gathered, drivers were not willing to allow access/entry from the center turning lane into the adjacent lane.
II. Theory Drivers are reluctant to practice courteous driving practices by allowing drivers from center turning lanes to merge into regular lanes.
III. Hypothesis Between Saturday morning around 8:55 am until Wednesday morning around 7:45 am drivers in the center turning lane will be denied entry into the regular traffic lanes by fellow drivers. Center turning lanes are defined as a lane that allows drivers entry to a busy road until they are able to access the direction needed. They are also referred to as turning lanes. Driver is defined as somebody who can drive: somebody who operates a motor vehicle, or who is capable of operating one.
IV. Procedure or Methodology I selected a road that I travel on a regular basis and accessed the center turning lane on multiple occasions to see if fellow drivers would allow entry. I notated how many drivers did not allow entry on each occasion. I documented all of the results ensuring that I notated if I was allowed access by a fellow driver at any point or if I was forced to wait until there was no traffic coming at all. A tally sheet was used to record behavior expressed by drivers. All subjects driving were observed to determine what behavior would occur.
V. Results Twelve qualified car drivers denied access to the regular lane from the center turning lanes between Saturday and Wednesday. All of the subjects speed up to prevent access or did not get over into the slow lane to allow entry from the center turning lanes. The subjects did not practice courteous driving skills to allow easy entry from the center turning lane. They were all too preoccupied with the need to get where they were going and unconcerned with the intentions of fellow drivers. 100% of the subjects denied entry from the turning/center turning lane to drivers needing access even if they were entering this same turning/center turning lane
VI. Discussion During the five day window by which entry was denied from the center turning /turning lanes into regular traffic lanes, the driver was denied entry by 12 subjects. The results indicate that drivers are predominantly concerned with their own needs. Most drivers will utilize courteous driving practices by allowing entry to regular lanes from center turning lanes. Courteous driving practices are overlooked on a regular basis as drivers seem to only be concerned with what is important to their day to day activities. Research resulted that drivers would speed up to prevent access even if they were accessing the turning lane that the fellow driver was attempting to exit. It seemed that subjects were more burdened with the idea of a car entering the regular lane in front of them. Since 100% of subjects denied entry to fellow drivers it shows that drivers are not concerned and could care less about intentions of fellow drivers.
Behavior Change
VII. State the Problem. Observation results of drivers denied access into regular lanes from center turning lanes support the idea that drivers are not courteous to fellow drivers. Drivers are not concerned with the intention or needs of other drivers and are only preoccupied with their own needs. To enact change, drivers should be required to take mandatory driving tests to reiterate courteous driving skills. Many of the actions taken by drivers are focused on speed instead of intellect. Drivers would speed up in the fast lane instead of get over into the slow lane to allow entry from the center turning lanes. The longer that drivers sit in this center turning and turning lanes the more backed up traffic would become which could be a major cause for a traffic accident due to the lack of visibility that would be presented. This could also prevent other cars access to the center turning and turning lanes if there is limited room or no room at all.
VIII. Theory Drivers will deny entry into regular lanes from turning and center turning lanes due to lack of courtesy. Drivers will think that the best practice would be to speed up to allow access but it should be to slow down. Speeding up still prevents access to regular lanes. If there are two lanes that exist, drivers also incorrectly think to switch to the slow lane to open up access to the regular lane to allow entry from the center turning and turning lanes. Drivers would be less concerned with the intentions of other drivers and thus would be unconcerned of allowing entry to regular lanes.
IX. Hypothesis Drivers using regular lanes will speed up or will not switch lanes thus denying access to fellow drivers from center turning the turning lanes. Center turning lanes are lanes that allow drivers the ability to cross traffic or to turn. A driver is defined as any individual operating a vehicle.
X. Procedure or Methodology
1. On Saturday, 01/12/13 at 8:50 am, Driver accessed the center turning lane and was denied entry into the regular lanes by 4 passing vehicles.
2. On Sunday, 01/13/13 at 9:00 am, Driver assessed the center turning lane and was able to immediately access regular lanes due to no traffic coming.
3. On Monday, 01/14/13 at 7:30 am, Driver accessed the center turning lane and was denied entry into the regular lanes by 2 passing vehicles.
4. On Tuesday, 01/15/13 at 7:35 am, Driver accessed the center turning lane and was denied entry into the regular lanes by 3 passing vehicles.
5. On Wednesday, 01/14/13 at 7:30 am, Driver accessed the center turning lane and was denied entry into the regular lanes by 3 passing vehicles.

XI. Results There were 12 subjects observed. Of the 12 subjects observed, 100% denied the Driver entry from the center turning lanes into the regular lanes even when the opportunity existed. Of the 12 subjects witnessed, the gender of the subject did not make any significant implications on the behavior that was exhibited. The age of the subjects varied as well thus implicating that behavior was not directly related to age.
XII. Discussion The results and findings dictate that drivers are primarily focused on their current needs or objectives. The idea of being courteous while driving does not exist. While courteous driving is not a requirement to obtain a driver’s license it is something that is practiced by many. The idea of being polite or courteous shows that drivers understand the needs of other drivers because they at some point have been in the same position. Subjects observed could have been influenced by other drivers. Many drivers will follow behind other drivers. If it is noticed that other drivers are not concerned then the idea would be why I should be concerned. The drivers are only concerned about where they need to be and the priority is making that happen. Subjects could feel that allowing a driver to get in front of them will prevent them from getting where they need to be and accomplishing their goals in a timely manner. The next step in researching the problem could be to identify the age and gender of the subjects observed. Different age groups of the subjects could display the idea that perhaps some ages are not as preoccupied with their own needs can do understand the concerns of other drivers as having been in that position. The same could be said regarding the idea to identify the gender of the subjects. Just as gender and age play a major role in insurance rates that are paid, perhaps they also have a direct impact on how individuals drive on a regular basis.

References
Feldman, Robert S., Essentials of Understanding Psychology. 9th edition