Exploring Psychosocial Dynamics Underpinning Driver Identity in an Older Adult Sample

Abstract

Many older adults consider driving a crucial aspect of their daily routine and the prospect of driving cessation to be disruptive to their current lifestyle. Driving cessation is associated with multiple adverse consequences, including poorer health trajectories, and increased depressive symptoms. Research suggests that driving cessation may be disruptive to identity. This study aimed to explore the characteristics that are associated with driver identity and whether identity impacted people’s readiness for mobility changes. Of interest was whether stopping driving was perceived as either a positive or negative event. Participants, (N = 410) older adults recruited via Prolific survey panel between July and November 2021, responded to questions about transport and travel behaviors, driver identity, and perceptions of mobility changes. Driving cessation was generally perceived as a negative change. However, individuals with self-reported low readiness for mobility change also had higher overall scores for Identity, and for the subscales, Centrality and Ingroup Affect. These findings suggest that people with more concerns for mobility transition may think about and have more of an emotional investment regarding driving. The findings provide novel insight into the psychosocial dynamics of driving and the factors that influence driver identity, however further research, co-designed with older drivers and retired drivers is required.

Keywords

• older adults
• driving
• identity
• driving cessation
• mobility
• transport