Cross-Cultural Differences in Driving Styles: A Moderated Mediation Analysis Linking Forgivingness, Emotion Regulation Difficulties, and Driving Styles

Abstract

Although various factors contributing to driving styles have been studied in recent decades, cultural differences have received little attention. Both emotion regulation difficulties and trait forgivingness have been found to be associated with driving styles, but the role of culture in these associations has not been yet explored. The current study seeks to understand the mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties in the association between trait forgivingness and driving styles and whether this relationship differs in different cultures. To this end, a moderated mediation model was developed and tested among 823 drivers from Israel (n = 287), Turkey (n = 329), and the USA (n = 207). The participants completed the Forgivingness Scale, Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and background details. The moderated mediation analysis was conducted using model 59 in the PROCESS macro developed by Hayes and Preacher (2013). The results show significant differences in all driving styles between the study groups. In addition, the mediation model for the angry and hostile and the reckless and careless driving styles was found to apply only to certain countries. The study highlights cultural differences and their importance in understanding the association between emotional processes and driving styles and the need to design culturally sensitive interventions.