An innovative web-based education initiative to reduce young drivers’ smartphone use: The Induced Hypocrisy paradigm

Despite having a general awareness of the dangers associated with mobile phone use as well as the legal penalties, young drivers aged 18 to 25 years continue to use their mobile phone. The sustained prevalence of this risky behaviour suggests that the current countermeasures are not working. Cognitive Dissonance Theory posits that when inconsistencies occur between an individual’s attitude and behaviour, an uncomfortable psychological state called dissonance is created which, in turn, may motivate an individual to change their behaviour to reduce the dissonance. In the case of mobile phone use while driving, young drivers often report an unfavourable attitude towards using their phone but engage in the behaviour nevertheless. This inconsistency between attitudes and behaviour may create dissonance. This project proposes a brief, low cost, and online intervention that uses this dissonance to motivate a reduction and/or cessation of mobile phone use among young drivers.