Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
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Item Effects of social information on driving courtesy(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2015) Chowdhury, Nazi Faisal Ahmed; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Nicholas WardAggressive driving, defined as a behavior that intentionally endangers other road users psychologically, physically, or both, has been considered the second most serious issue in road safety after driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and drugs. Researchers have tried to understand the factors involved in driving aggression, but on the other side of it, there has been little research on driving courtesy, which is defined as a polite and safer action or reaction of drivers to other road users. This research approaches the problem of aggressive driving by focusing on both, factors that provoke driving aggression and factors that encourage driving courtesy. Three such factors were identified through an intensive literature review and three focus groups. These three factors, self-identity (being anonymous or identifiable on the road), recent driving experience (good or bad behavior of other drivers on the road) and group affiliation (social identity of other drivers as in- or out-group) were tested for their significance in driving courtesy and aggression through a vignette survey. The vignette stories were developed using two courtesy-encouraging and two aggression-provoking scenarios which had been identified in the focus groups as common and important in traffic safety. The repeated measure logistic regression model was used to analyze the responses and all three factors were found to be statistically significant predictors of driving behavior. Moreover, it was found that these factors can be used in reducing aggression and also promoting courtesy. Sharing in-group information and being identifiable promote courtesy, and being courteous on the road promotes a better environment in which drivers perceive a good driving experience. Since it was identified that having a recent good driving experience helps to reduce aggression, it was concluded that promoting courtesy can reduce aggression. A feasibility study with video vignette was conducted to explore the idea where drivers could share social identity with other drivers through Connected Vehicle Systems (CVS) or similar technology. The results verified the vignette survey experiment, showing that sharing common group identity does indeed reduce aggression and also promotes courtesy. It should be noted, however, that sharing out-group identity can provoke aggression.Item Identity : pscyhological relationships between place and occupant informing Burmese refugee communal design(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2009) Gould, Shawn Patrick; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Christopher Livingston; Ralph Johnson (co-chair)Place is an active participant in determining who we are; it becomes part of one's identity. People use space as a vehicle in which individual and social experiences are carried out and remembered, ultimately shaping who one is. An attachment to place is formed. Place becomes vital to one's mental being and survival because it is a piece of a whole in how one defines herself/himself and his purpose. But what happens when place attachment is broken? The consequences can be severe. For example, Burmese refugees responding to political persecution, persistent poverty, and most recently the ramifications of Cyclone Nargis in May 2008, were forced to abandon their homes and communities---- their place. They lost part of their identity. In doing so, the already dire situation they experienced grew more grievous. This continues today. Now these refugees congregate in camps along the Burmese/Thai border looking for relief. Only tactile issues (food, shelter, water) are addressed by relief agencies, not psychological issues, such as the part of their identity they have lost. Because of this oversight , their recovery and survival lay in jeopardy. This thesis will seek to demonstrate how architecture can ascribe to various design considerations that acknowledge the importance of fundamental place attachment between occupant and place. I will illustrate these considerations by creating a community for Burmese refugees that recognizes not only the physical but the psychological factors that are imperative to recovery, such as self, social, and place identity. Ultimately this exploration hopes to instill identity back into the refugees by applying a design strategy when developing the community that is informed by the interactions of the aforementioned psychological factors. These issues of identity are pertinent to design today, when increasingly, many people like the Burmese refugee are in situations that demand thought and action for their recovery and survival.