Date Approved

5-1-2001

Embargo Period

5-24-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in School Psychology

Department

Educational Services and Leadership

College

College of Education

Advisor

Klanderman, John

Subject(s)

Automobile driving; Drinking of alcoholic beverages; Personality

Disciplines

Educational Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to discover the relationship between personality traits and how they can be used to predict an individual's tendency to drink and drive. Specifically, does an individual's locus of control and self-esteem influence their tendency to drink and drive. Past research has suggested that an individual with low self-esteem and an external locus of control has a greater tendency to drink and drive. 125 participants completed a questionnaire, which measured their self-esteem, locus of control and drinking and driving behavior. A cross tabulation correlation was used to find evidence of a relationship between the variables. The alternate hypothesis was rejected due to the lack of significant results. The use of an unreliable and invalidated measure of an individual's drinking and driving behavior was suspected to induce the insignificant results. A further analysis of data as well as future implications is discussed.

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