*2.2.1 Personality*

In terms of personality, there is no evidence of changes beyond the age of 30, but it must be said that the age period 16–30 is one of change in most psychological factors and indeed is associated with changes in the brain and hormones. A relevant

**59**

*Attitudes and Behaviours in Relation to New Technology in Transport and the Take-Up…*

personality trait in this respect is openness to change, which is likely to be normally distributed and in terms of openness resistance to change is a default position in terms of evolutionary psychology (see for example [28]); and there is evidence of increasing resistance to change with age, although that needs to be unpicked in order to understand it: for example it may be associated with low-involvement whilst high-involvement may be associated with changing attitudes; this is important if we are looking at technology engagement with which older people may exhibit low involvement. In addition, attitudes changed can just the same change back again; so positive changes in attitudes to technology will need to be reinforced

More negative attitudes towards computers by older people are related to perception of less comfort, efficacy and control, all of which have been shown to be improved by increased experience [30]. In addition, the literature on change and change management points to low trust, perceived lack of competence, poor communications, not understanding the need for change, exhaustion/saturation and changing the status quo [away from habituated behaviours] as all being culpable. When people are asked to articulate their reasons for resistance, risks outweigh the benefits, they do not have the ability to change, perceive that things will be made more difficult, not meeting their needs and so on are all cited [31]. Many of these issues are relevant to the unwillingness of older people to engage with new

As already mentioned, older people when driving often engage in age-counteracted behaviours [self-regulation] and are thus less likely to take risks and avoid difficult driving or travelling situations. Less peer pressure and increased self-awareness may influence age-counteracted and compensatory behaviours for older people view limitations [8, 32–34]. Many older drivers will be unwilling to reduce their driving because of the increased inconvenience, loss of social activities and lack of suitable alternative transport modes, loss of independence and increase in social isolation etc. [35–39]. The relationship between many people and their car is not so much an *economic* one as an *affective* one and they make choices about travel mode using the *affect heuristic* [40]; this means that comfort, convenience, feelings of risk and security, etc. all play the larger part in the decision. Older people may be more time-rich and potentially more money-poor than they were when working, but decisions on transport mode are still likely to be affect-driven, and poor public transport provision must surely exacerbate

Risk taking and risk awareness can be critical for all travellers. The reasons for accidents differ considerably between older and younger people and most insurance premia follow a U-shape with age, with by far the highest premia at <25 yrs., dropping to age 30 where they remain low until the late 60s. Accidents and injuries are caused by different elements at different ages: selecting and processing information in a complex task may be causative for older drivers accidents, whereas overestimation of personal skill, sensation-seeking and a preference for risky driving, reaction

times and ability are causative for younger drivers [32, 37, 42, 43].

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94963*

if they are not to revert to earlier attitudes [29].

*2.2.3 Unwillingness to reduce driving and the role of affect*

*2.2.2 Attitudes and change*

technology.

that situation (e.g. [41]).

*2.2.4 Risk taking and risk awareness*

### *Attitudes and Behaviours in Relation to New Technology in Transport and the Take-Up… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94963*

personality trait in this respect is openness to change, which is likely to be normally distributed and in terms of openness resistance to change is a default position in terms of evolutionary psychology (see for example [28]); and there is evidence of increasing resistance to change with age, although that needs to be unpicked in order to understand it: for example it may be associated with low-involvement whilst high-involvement may be associated with changing attitudes; this is important if we are looking at technology engagement with which older people may exhibit low involvement. In addition, attitudes changed can just the same change back again; so positive changes in attitudes to technology will need to be reinforced if they are not to revert to earlier attitudes [29].
