Health Education Research Advance Access originally published online on March 5, 2009
Health Education Research 2009 24(4):674-685; doi:10.1093/her/cyp003
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Understanding the role of self-identity in habitual risky behaviours: pedestrian road-crossing decisions across the lifespan
Psychology, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
* Correspondence to: C. A. Holland. E-mail: c.holland1{at}aston.ac.uk
Self-identity as a careful pedestrian has not been fully considered in previous work on predicting intention to cross the road, or actual crossing behaviour, in non-optimal situations. Evidence suggests that self-identity may be a better predictor than attitudes in situations where decision-making styles have become habitual ways to respond. This study compared contributions of self-identity and attitudes to the prediction of intentions in two situations differing in level of habitual crossing expectation, and to crossing behaviour. Three hundred and sixty-two adults (17–92 years) completed a questionnaire measuring self-identity, attitudes, intentions, experience, social identity variables (e.g. age, gender) and personal limitations (mobility). Two hundred and five participants also completed a road-crossing simulation. Self-identity and attitude were both shown as significant independent predictors of intention in both situations. However, self-identity was less effective as a predictor in the higher risk scenario, where intention to perform the behaviour was lower, and for participants aged >75 years who had lower intention across scenarios. Self-identity strongly predicted intention to cross, which in turn predicted behaviour, but self-identity did not directly predict behaviour. Self-identity was strongly predicted by age. Implications for theories of compensation in older age and for design and targeting of pedestrian safety education are discussed.
Received on June 25, 2008; accepted on January 27, 2009