Reducing aggression on our roads: testing a comprehensive model of aggressive driving. This project aims to increase our understanding of driver aggression, its causes and how it can be prevented. This will inform development of more effective educational and enforcement measures to reduce driver aggression and resultant road crashes, which have significant social and economic impacts on the Australian community.
The anatomy of a fatigue-related motor vehicle crash or near-crash. The anatomy of a fatigue-related motor vehicle crash or near-crash. This project aims to investigate the time course of multiple physiological and behavioural signals that lead to fall-asleep (on-road) driving events, to inform the next generation of driver state monitoring technologies. Falling asleep at the wheel remains a major cause of road crashes worldwide. Although technologies to monitor driver sleepiness are integral to ....The anatomy of a fatigue-related motor vehicle crash or near-crash. The anatomy of a fatigue-related motor vehicle crash or near-crash. This project aims to investigate the time course of multiple physiological and behavioural signals that lead to fall-asleep (on-road) driving events, to inform the next generation of driver state monitoring technologies. Falling asleep at the wheel remains a major cause of road crashes worldwide. Although technologies to monitor driver sleepiness are integral to the rapidly evolving autonomous vehicle industry, such technologies are limited because they measure the end-state of falling asleep, rather than the physiological and behavioural precursors, thus providing little opportunity for intervention. This project is expected to lead to new driver monitoring systems that reduce fall-asleep crashes.Read moreRead less
A theory-based approach to the design and evaluation of anti-speeding messages to target high risk road users' attitudes and behaviours. The proposed research offers three significant benefits. First, this research will develop an improved approach to aid the design and testing of road safety anti-speeding messages. Second, the research will identify the most effective advertising messages for different groups of drivers at risk of being involved in road-related trauma such as young males. Third ....A theory-based approach to the design and evaluation of anti-speeding messages to target high risk road users' attitudes and behaviours. The proposed research offers three significant benefits. First, this research will develop an improved approach to aid the design and testing of road safety anti-speeding messages. Second, the research will identify the most effective advertising messages for different groups of drivers at risk of being involved in road-related trauma such as young males. Third, through improving the persuasiveness of anti-speeding advertising messages, the research may contribute to a reduction in the extent to which drivers engage in speeding which, in turn, may lessen speeding-related road trauma which would have significant benefits not only for road safety but for public health more broadly. Read moreRead less
Vision Impairment and Fitness to Drive. Vision is fundamental to driving. Intuitively vision impairments will significantly affect fitness to drive. However the relationship between vision and crash risk is not well understood and current tests are unreliable. This study will describe the way in which specific vision conditions affect driving performance. The study will examine the effects of visual field loss on drivers' ability to monitor information, allocate attention and minimise the effect ....Vision Impairment and Fitness to Drive. Vision is fundamental to driving. Intuitively vision impairments will significantly affect fitness to drive. However the relationship between vision and crash risk is not well understood and current tests are unreliable. This study will describe the way in which specific vision conditions affect driving performance. The study will examine the effects of visual field loss on drivers' ability to monitor information, allocate attention and minimise the effect of distractions. Outcomes of the study will enable the development of evidence-based guidelines for assessment of vision for driving and effective countermeasures to enhance mobility and reduce crash risk.Read moreRead less
When immigrants and converts are not truly one of us: Examining the social psychology and developmental antecedents of marginalizing racism. Marginalizing Racism, the simultaneous acceptance and rejection of others, is clearly present in Australia. It is not just a matter of thugs on the streets of Cronulla, but of elected politicians expressing Marginalizing Racist views. We believe that examining the social psychology and developmental causes of this insidious form of racism will pave the way ....When immigrants and converts are not truly one of us: Examining the social psychology and developmental antecedents of marginalizing racism. Marginalizing Racism, the simultaneous acceptance and rejection of others, is clearly present in Australia. It is not just a matter of thugs on the streets of Cronulla, but of elected politicians expressing Marginalizing Racist views. We believe that examining the social psychology and developmental causes of this insidious form of racism will pave the way for positive social change. This is not just an academic exercise, but a chance to expose and tackle a form of racism to which the broader public and our own profession appears to turn a blind eye. Moreover, as we expect this research to yield timely and influential discoveries, it will help maintain Australia's position as a world leader in the field of social psychology.Read moreRead less
Captions for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired: Availability versus Accessibility. The availability of educational, informational and recreational services for deaf and hearing-impaired people has been dramatically facilitated by (i) increased television captioning due to the 2001 introduction of the Television Broadcasting Services Act; and (ii) trial introduction of real-time captioning in educational settings. These innovations must be matched by equally innovative ways of increasing the accessib ....Captions for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired: Availability versus Accessibility. The availability of educational, informational and recreational services for deaf and hearing-impaired people has been dramatically facilitated by (i) increased television captioning due to the 2001 introduction of the Television Broadcasting Services Act; and (ii) trial introduction of real-time captioning in educational settings. These innovations must be matched by equally innovative ways of increasing the accessibility of captions, which is currently limited by English literacy, caption speed, and caption reduction techniques. Here, systematic manipulation of these factors in experiments on television captioning with adults and educational captioning with children will determine how resources might best be directed to improving caption accessibility.Read moreRead less
Children's Intergroup Prejudice: The Roles of Cognitive Representations and Self-presentation. Research indicates that intergroup prejudice remains a problem in most Australian schools. For example, children as young as 5-6 years assign negative attributes to indigenous Australians and Pacific Islander children, they prefer not to play with these children, and they do not even want them living nearby. The proposed research will examine the possible basis of age effects in these attitudes. It wi ....Children's Intergroup Prejudice: The Roles of Cognitive Representations and Self-presentation. Research indicates that intergroup prejudice remains a problem in most Australian schools. For example, children as young as 5-6 years assign negative attributes to indigenous Australians and Pacific Islander children, they prefer not to play with these children, and they do not even want them living nearby. The proposed research will examine the possible basis of age effects in these attitudes. It will have a substantial national benefit because it will increase our understanding of this insidious social phenomenon and provide a basis for developing an intervention that will minimise a problem that has the potential to devastate community relations.
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Rejection sensitivity in children and adolescents: Antecedents, consequences, and the promotion of rejection resilience. Increasing our understanding of children's rejection sensitivity and its effects, as well as identifying the central processes involved, will contribute to a healthy start, preventative healthcare, and strengthening social and economic fabric. It will allow for a new intervention to build children's competencies, coping and resilience. This will protect from negative intrapers ....Rejection sensitivity in children and adolescents: Antecedents, consequences, and the promotion of rejection resilience. Increasing our understanding of children's rejection sensitivity and its effects, as well as identifying the central processes involved, will contribute to a healthy start, preventative healthcare, and strengthening social and economic fabric. It will allow for a new intervention to build children's competencies, coping and resilience. This will protect from negative intrapersonal (e.g., depression) and interpersonal outcomes (e.g., loneliness, victimisation). It also will improve the social and learning contexts for students, benefit the environment in which teachers work, and strengthen the fabric of families and communities by contributing to the development of harmonious, cooperative environments.Read moreRead less
Understanding the impact of missing family on forcibly displaced people. This project aims to investigate the psychological and social effects of having missing family on forcibly displaced people settled in Australia. This world-first project enlists a longitudinal mixed-method approach to compare those with missing family to those whose connections have been restored on key outcomes and coping strategies. Project outcomes will enhance the ability of Australian Red Cross and the International C ....Understanding the impact of missing family on forcibly displaced people. This project aims to investigate the psychological and social effects of having missing family on forcibly displaced people settled in Australia. This world-first project enlists a longitudinal mixed-method approach to compare those with missing family to those whose connections have been restored on key outcomes and coping strategies. Project outcomes will enhance the ability of Australian Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross to understand and support the needs of families of the missing. This should provide significant practice and policy benefits for Red Cross’ humanitarian work in restoring family links in Australia and worldwide.Read moreRead less
Peer Rejection and the Maladaptive Social Behaviour of Children and Adolescents. Research indicates that peer rejection has serious negative effects on child and adolescent victims. However, little research has addressed the likelihood that peer rejection also has negative consequences for others in the social environment, through its instigation of maladaptive social behaviours such as bullying and ethnic prejudice. Given the incidence of the latter behaviours in primary and secondary schools, ....Peer Rejection and the Maladaptive Social Behaviour of Children and Adolescents. Research indicates that peer rejection has serious negative effects on child and adolescent victims. However, little research has addressed the likelihood that peer rejection also has negative consequences for others in the social environment, through its instigation of maladaptive social behaviours such as bullying and ethnic prejudice. Given the incidence of the latter behaviours in primary and secondary schools, the aim of this project is to conduct a program of research to test an integrative model of the impact of peer rejection on the maladaptive social behaviours of children and adolescents, with a particular focus on ethnic prejudice and bullying.Read moreRead less