Goals for Driver Education
The information in the previous three articles and this one is taken from a research document: Peräaho, M; Keskinen, E; Hatakka, M. Driver Competence in a Hierarchical Perspective; Implications for Driver Education. University of Turku, Traffic Research. June, 2003. This link will take you to the page on our website where you can download the PDF document: http://www.tri-coachingpartnership.com/reports--research.html. The last article focused on Level 3 – Goals and Context of the Journey. This article looks at Level 4 of the Goals for Driver Education framework and also takes a brief look at Level 5.
The GDE framework is based on the principle that individuals are active and goal-directed participants in and observers of their environment, e.g. traffic. The internal mental processes of an individual are emphasised as being the driving force behind all behaviour, and the observable behaviour is then just the end result of a long process. The reality we see and experience is not stored in our mind as an exact copy. On the contrary, what is stored is a personal reconstruction, an abstract mental representation of reality. There are two main dimensions in this process: Firstly, the already existing mental representations guide our search for information (e.g. what we see or what we read). Secondly, they serve as structures for interpreting this information. As a general rule, we tend to interpret reality so that it complies with our previous knowledge and expectations and we wish to dismiss conflicting information. In other words, the mental representations help us to guide and focus attention and perception, and facilitate interpretation and understanding of those perceptions. They also guide decision-making and action.
The mental representations are not permanent or unchangeable. They are constantly checked against new experiences, perceptions and interpretations of the outer world in an ongoing process, and modified accordingly if necessary. The process might be described as continuous interaction between the desired goal, the actions aiming towards that goal, and the feedback from these actions. These new experiences can change the existing mental representations so that they correspond better to the new reality. They may on the other hand strengthen the old inner models. In other words, these processes influence what is taken in and how things are understood for example in a learning situation. This can be for good or bad. An example of positive change (from a safety point of view) might be when a young driver realises that it is far better to avoid dangerous situations instead of trying to use the acquired skills to the limit and try to master the situations as and when they occur. An example of negative strengthening might be skid training that fails to convey a message of danger and instead strengthens a self-belief that great skill in manoeuvring is the key to survival.
Goals and actions aimed at achieving these goals would not be useful if there were no feedback. And, if there were no goals, feedback and awareness of one's actions and behaviour would be useless. This process of goals, actions and feedback is relevant in all behaviour. When doing something we compare our actions with the desired goal. That comparison gives us feedback (which, of course, can come also from outside ourselves, e.g. from other people) which can modify our actions accordingly.
The four hierarchical levels of the GDE should be looked upon in light of what was said above about the interaction between a desired goal, the actions aiming towards that goal, and the feedback from these actions. Although the levels are qualitatively different from each other and separated in the model, no single level is independent from the other levels. They are all present in a driving situation, and together they encompass the different components that are present in a driving task. A basic assumption in the model is that a higher level controls and guides behaviour on a lower level. However, this control is not a simple top-down process as it is constantly checked against the feedback received from the action itself. The levels are to some degree interdependent so that change at one level by necessity brings about change at other levels too, downwards as well as upwards. But interdependence does not imply equality. The cognitive structures that we call the "highest level" (level 4 in the model) provide the basis for a person's way of life, in general as well as in the specific traffic context. They are therefore more stable and fundamental compared to the other three levels, which in turn are more domain-specific and subordinate. Abilities (skills) that are used, and the inner models that are applied (choices that are made) at the lower levels are therefore under guidance of higher level preconditions (including higher-level skills for coping in life) and demands (including goals and motives). This is the essence of the distinction between what the driver can do, and what the driver is willing to do. The factors and inner models that are located on the highest level are therefore the ones that are most important from a safety point of view. No matter what amount of safety-related knowledge a driver may have, the effect of this knowledge is ultimately dependent upon if and how the driver uses it.
In Level 4: Goals for life and skills for living - we are looking at the personal motives, behavioural style and abilities, and the social relations of a driver in a broader sense – these are the main ingredients in the highest level in the hierarchy. These include personality factors such as self-control, but also life-style, social background, attitudes, gender, age, group affiliation, importance of cars and driving as parts of one's self-image, and other preconditions that research has shown to have influence on choices and behaviour as a driver.
It goes without saying, perhaps, that these factors are closely connected to the society and the culture in which the driver lives. Important sources for the formation of internal models on this level are therefore family, friends, and other role models such as racing car drivers. As was already pointed out, this level has overriding authority over the other levels in the hierarchy. The cognitive structures and preconditions on this level set the stage for the choices that are made and the inner models that are applied by a driver during a trip. For example, a person's general attitude towards alcohol and driving, and his or her personal use of alcohol in general are phenomena that belong to this level. This level also includes factors such as a driver's physical and mental abilities, which the individual driver, or driver education for that matter, can do very little about other than taking them into consideration as something which limits the choices available. However, awareness of such personal limitations serves to lessen their negative effect. A positive influence (e.g. a discussion at the side of the road on a driving lesson) will produce a positive result only if the higher level preconditions are equally positive. Or, a negative influence (e.g. social pressure) will lose its power if the higher level preconditions provide a positive counter-force. The goals and motives of a driver may either increase or decrease the level of risk. In order to be safe, a driver should therefore not only be skilled but also aware of potential risk factors and his/her own abilities and motives as a driver.
As was stated earlier, factors in Level 4 are closely connected to the society and the culture in which the driver lives. The same researchers, who developed the framework in the first place, extrapolated a fifth level from the fourth level that has a specific focus on the driver’s social culture and considers the influences that this culture has on the driver’s personal pre-conditions, expectations and goals.
This is known as GDE-5 SOC:
The mental representations are not permanent or unchangeable. They are constantly checked against new experiences, perceptions and interpretations of the outer world in an ongoing process, and modified accordingly if necessary. The process might be described as continuous interaction between the desired goal, the actions aiming towards that goal, and the feedback from these actions. These new experiences can change the existing mental representations so that they correspond better to the new reality. They may on the other hand strengthen the old inner models. In other words, these processes influence what is taken in and how things are understood for example in a learning situation. This can be for good or bad. An example of positive change (from a safety point of view) might be when a young driver realises that it is far better to avoid dangerous situations instead of trying to use the acquired skills to the limit and try to master the situations as and when they occur. An example of negative strengthening might be skid training that fails to convey a message of danger and instead strengthens a self-belief that great skill in manoeuvring is the key to survival.
Goals and actions aimed at achieving these goals would not be useful if there were no feedback. And, if there were no goals, feedback and awareness of one's actions and behaviour would be useless. This process of goals, actions and feedback is relevant in all behaviour. When doing something we compare our actions with the desired goal. That comparison gives us feedback (which, of course, can come also from outside ourselves, e.g. from other people) which can modify our actions accordingly.
The four hierarchical levels of the GDE should be looked upon in light of what was said above about the interaction between a desired goal, the actions aiming towards that goal, and the feedback from these actions. Although the levels are qualitatively different from each other and separated in the model, no single level is independent from the other levels. They are all present in a driving situation, and together they encompass the different components that are present in a driving task. A basic assumption in the model is that a higher level controls and guides behaviour on a lower level. However, this control is not a simple top-down process as it is constantly checked against the feedback received from the action itself. The levels are to some degree interdependent so that change at one level by necessity brings about change at other levels too, downwards as well as upwards. But interdependence does not imply equality. The cognitive structures that we call the "highest level" (level 4 in the model) provide the basis for a person's way of life, in general as well as in the specific traffic context. They are therefore more stable and fundamental compared to the other three levels, which in turn are more domain-specific and subordinate. Abilities (skills) that are used, and the inner models that are applied (choices that are made) at the lower levels are therefore under guidance of higher level preconditions (including higher-level skills for coping in life) and demands (including goals and motives). This is the essence of the distinction between what the driver can do, and what the driver is willing to do. The factors and inner models that are located on the highest level are therefore the ones that are most important from a safety point of view. No matter what amount of safety-related knowledge a driver may have, the effect of this knowledge is ultimately dependent upon if and how the driver uses it.
In Level 4: Goals for life and skills for living - we are looking at the personal motives, behavioural style and abilities, and the social relations of a driver in a broader sense – these are the main ingredients in the highest level in the hierarchy. These include personality factors such as self-control, but also life-style, social background, attitudes, gender, age, group affiliation, importance of cars and driving as parts of one's self-image, and other preconditions that research has shown to have influence on choices and behaviour as a driver.
It goes without saying, perhaps, that these factors are closely connected to the society and the culture in which the driver lives. Important sources for the formation of internal models on this level are therefore family, friends, and other role models such as racing car drivers. As was already pointed out, this level has overriding authority over the other levels in the hierarchy. The cognitive structures and preconditions on this level set the stage for the choices that are made and the inner models that are applied by a driver during a trip. For example, a person's general attitude towards alcohol and driving, and his or her personal use of alcohol in general are phenomena that belong to this level. This level also includes factors such as a driver's physical and mental abilities, which the individual driver, or driver education for that matter, can do very little about other than taking them into consideration as something which limits the choices available. However, awareness of such personal limitations serves to lessen their negative effect. A positive influence (e.g. a discussion at the side of the road on a driving lesson) will produce a positive result only if the higher level preconditions are equally positive. Or, a negative influence (e.g. social pressure) will lose its power if the higher level preconditions provide a positive counter-force. The goals and motives of a driver may either increase or decrease the level of risk. In order to be safe, a driver should therefore not only be skilled but also aware of potential risk factors and his/her own abilities and motives as a driver.
As was stated earlier, factors in Level 4 are closely connected to the society and the culture in which the driver lives. The same researchers, who developed the framework in the first place, extrapolated a fifth level from the fourth level that has a specific focus on the driver’s social culture and considers the influences that this culture has on the driver’s personal pre-conditions, expectations and goals.
This is known as GDE-5 SOC:
In order to address all the goals in driver education it is sufficient to consider four levels of the hierarchy. However, it is helpful in certain discussions – for example, when working with fleet drivers – to specifically recognise the cultural and societal influences on the individual as a result of driving for work because this can bring with it a whole range of factors that affect the driver’s ability to make safe decisions. It might, therefore, be helpful to recognise that this is also known as Level 5 but is an integral part of the goals in level 4. Ultimately, it should be remembered that all the levels overlap and that the highest levels determine the choices and decisions that are made on the lower levels.
