Why do Chinese drivers become angry? The role of olfactory interaction in road rage emotion modulation

IF 4.4 2区工程技术 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, APPLIED

Transportation Research Part F-Traffic Psychology and Behaviour Pub Date : 2025-07-16 DOI:10.1016/j.trf.2025.07.016

Ting Wei, Yuanwu Shi

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction

Road rage is a negative emotional state that significantly impacts drivers’ emotions and safety. Olfactory interaction has shown considerable potential in resolving negative emotions and enhancing pleasure. This study aims to analyze the main factors influencing Chinese drivers’ driving anger and to assess the effectiveness of olfactory interaction in improving driving anger and increasing driving pleasure.

Materials and Methods

The study consists of three parts. The first part is a survey involving 933 Chinese drivers, mainly aged between 26 and 50, to analyze the situational factors that induce driving anger and the acceptance of emotional regulation modalities. The second part involved the screening of olfactory interactive materials, and four typical materials were selected for experimental validation. The third part is an experiment on the modulation of anger emotions based on olfactory interaction. It involves 38 young Chinese drivers aged between 23 and 30, who were subjected to a simulated driving experiment to induce anger emotions. We used a 2 (with and without anger modulation) × 4 (jasmine essential oil + lemongrass essential oil + peppermint essential oil + patchouli essential oil) mixed-factorial experimental design, and four different olfactory intervention conditions for emotion conditioning were used in the simulated driving experiment. Self-assessment scales (SAM) were used to assess anger levels before and after the interaction, and Likert scales were used to assess the effects of anger regulation.

Results

Olfactory interaction was found to be an emotional intervention modality with high acceptance among participants. The scents of jasmine and lemongrass essential oils showed significant positive modulation of driving anger emotions, while peppermint and patchouli essential oils showed significant negative modulation.

Conclusion

Olfactory interaction has shown clear effects in improving the driving anger and emotional modulation of young Chinese drivers. Intelligent products based on olfactory interaction have the potential to become an effective way to improve road rage and may be applied in smart cockpits in the future.

查看原文本刊更多论文

为什么中国司机会生气？嗅觉相互作用在道路愤怒情绪调节中的作用

路怒症是一种消极的情绪状态，会严重影响驾驶员的情绪和安全。嗅觉互动在解决负面情绪和增强愉悦感方面显示出相当大的潜力。本研究旨在分析影响中国驾驶员驾驶愤怒的主要因素，并评估嗅觉交互在改善驾驶愤怒和增加驾驶乐趣方面的有效性。材料与方法本研究由三部分组成。第一部分是对933名主要年龄在26 - 50岁之间的中国司机的调查，分析诱发驾驶愤怒的情景因素和情绪调节方式的接受程度。第二部分为嗅觉交互材料的筛选，选取了四种典型的嗅觉交互材料进行实验验证。第三部分是基于嗅觉交互作用的愤怒情绪调节实验。38名年龄在23岁到30岁之间的中国年轻司机参加了一项模拟驾驶实验，以诱发愤怒情绪。采用2（带和不带愤怒调节）× 4（茉莉花精油+柠檬草精油+薄荷精油+广藿香精油）混合因子实验设计，采用4种不同的嗅觉干预条件进行情绪调节模拟驾驶实验。使用自评量表（SAM）评估互动前后的愤怒水平，使用李克特量表评估愤怒调节的效果。结果“工厂互动”是一种被参与者接受度较高的情绪干预方式。茉莉花精油和柠檬草精油对愤怒情绪有显著的正向调节作用，薄荷精油和广藿香精油对愤怒情绪有显著的负向调节作用。结论嗅觉交互作用对改善中国青年驾驶员驾驶愤怒和情绪调节有明显作用。基于嗅觉交互的智能产品有可能成为改善路怒症的有效途径，并可能在未来应用于智能驾驶舱。

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来源期刊

Transportation Research Part F-Traffic Psychology and Behaviour Multiple-

CiteScore

7.60

自引率

14.60%

发文量

239

审稿时长

71 days

期刊介绍： Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour focuses on the behavioural and psychological aspects of traffic and transport. The aim of the journal is to enhance theory development, improve the quality of empirical studies and to stimulate the application of research findings in practice. TRF provides a focus and a means of communication for the considerable amount of research activities that are now being carried out in this field. The journal provides a forum for transportation researchers, psychologists, ergonomists, engineers and policy-makers with an interest in traffic and transport psychology.