Effect of perfectionism on self-other blame in driving situations

Previous studies have reported mixed findings regarding the associations between perfectionism and self-otherblame. We used an online survey to investigate the association between perfectionism and self-other-blame in driving situations. We evaluated the perfectionism traits of drivers (N = 4681) by utilizing the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS). This scale comprises three subscales: self-oriented perfectionism, other-oriented perfectionism, and socially prescribed perfectionism. The participants also watched short movie clips depicting near-miss traffic incidents. We instructed them to imagine themselves as the drivers in the movies and rate their own and the other driver's culpability. The results revealed that individuals with high levels of socially prescribed perfectionism and low levels of other-oriented perfectionism are more prone to experiencing more self-blame. Additionally, individuals with high levels of other-oriented perfectionism tend to blame others more. These results align with previous research and suggest that perfectionism is linked not only to the personality trait of self-other-blame but also to self-other-blame as acute responses to specific situations, including those encountered while driving. We suggest further investigating acute responses and personality traits related to selfother-blame to explain the association between perfectionism and self-other-blame better.

Automated summary

This study examined the association between perfectionism and self-other blame in driving situations through an online survey and video clips. The results showed that individuals with high levels of socially prescribed perfectionism tend to blame themselves more, while those with high levels of other-oriented perfectionism tend to blame others more. These findings have important implications for understanding the relationship between perfectionism and self-other blame.