Gender Stereotypes among Road Users

• Main Author: Kabalevskaya, Alexandra I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University 2013-09-01
• Series: Psychology in Russia: State of Art
• Subjects: Gender stereotype; stereotyping; gender behaviour; road behaviour
• Online Access: http://psychologyinrussia.com/volumes/pdf/2013_3/2013_3_150-163.Pdf

This article analyzes the mechanism of stereotyping as exemplified by gender stereotypes of road users. Gender stereotypes are not only viewed as an a priori image of a percept, but also examined ‘in action’ — at the very moment of their actualization with road users. In the paper we have identified the content of road users’ gender stereotypes; analyzed the behaviour of male and female drivers, pinpointing a number of gender-specific behavioural features; demonstrated that male and female driving differ from each other in terms of speed, intensity and roughness; and identified the conditions and mechanisms underlying the actualization of gender stereotypes. Based on video and audio materials, we have found that drivers’ gender-specific behavioural features are perceivable to road users: such features trigger the actualization of gender stereotypes as attributive schemes, which determine the interaction between road users, while also laying the foundation for gender stereotypes.