The Personality Correlates of Driving While Intexticated

Abstract

The present study attempted to identify the antecedents of texting while driving. Specifically, this study looks at the relationship between personality traits (i.e., the Big-Five), trait risk taking, and the cognitive rationalizations of such behavior. Overall, of the 1028 participants, 59.8% indicated a willingness to text while driving at least some of the time. Moreover, results indicated that the more extraverted, neurotic, and high in health risk taking an individual is, the more likely he/she is to text while driving. Furthermore, a set of cognitive rationalizations used to justify the behavior were found to have the strongest relationship.