1. The intended/achieved objectives

This research project (1) investigated the relationship between life fast life history strategies and aggressive driving by testing the mediating role of personality traits and the moderating role of socioeconomic status, (2) tested the relationship between history-based fast life history strategies and the maladaptive indicators of driving (involvement in accidents, fines received, driving license suspension) and (3) developed and tested the effectiveness of an evolutionary cognitive intervention focused on impulsivity aimed at reducing aggressive driving.

2. Presentation of the results obtained:

STAGE 1. Carrying out the first empirical research of the project - The relationship between life history strategies and aggressive driving. The mediating role of Big Five personality traits and the moderating role of socioeconomic status.
Act. 1.1. Selecting the literature for Study 1 and writing the introduction - Writing the argumentative part for study 1. Stage 1 began by selecting the necessary literature for the argumentative part of the first empirical research. Successive searches were performed in scientific publishers' databases based on the following keywords: driving aggression * personality * Big Five * FFM *. Searches were performed in the following databases: ScienceDirect, Scopus, Taylor & Francis, Sage, Springer Nature, Wiley & Sons, PsychNET APA, Ebsco, ProQuest, as well as meta-searches using Google Scholar and Research Gate. The search results showed between 5893 and 17540 results, depending on the scientific database. Three hundred twenty articles were downloaded, which had appropriate content for the first empirical research of this project. This was followed by the actual writing of the argumentative part (introduction) of the first research manuscript, containing 1800 (100% degree of completion of the objective of the activity). The information is disseminated within the manuscript no.1, accepted for publication in the journal with impact factor Personality and Individual Differences.

Act. 1.2. Data collection for study 1 - Writing the methodological part for the first empirical research (Study 1). After completing the introduction, Stage 1 continued with the methodological part of the first empirical research. We have selected the following measures to translate them into Romanian: Mini-K (the short form of the K factor of personality, Figueredo et al., 2006) to measure life history strategies. Big Five Inventory (John, Naumann, & Soto, 2008) to measure Big Five personality factors Short Dark Triad (SD3; Jones & Paulhus, 2014) to measure psychopathy. Dickman Impulsivity scale (Dickman, 1990) to measure impulsivity. Griskevicius socioeconomic status (Griskevicius et al., 2013) to measure socioeconomic status. Driving Anger Expression Inventory (Deffenbacher, Lynch, Oetting, & Swaim, 2002) to measure aggressive driving.

The translation-back translation process was used to check the adequacy of the translated versions into Romanian. The project director did the translations, and a master's and a doctoral student in psychology participated in the retroversion process. Subsequently, the translated and adapted measures were uploaded to an online platform (Google Forms) for administration. The measures were distributed on forums of fan clubs of different car brands in order to be able to collect data from participants representative for the study (e.g., who have a driving license and who actually drive). The link for access was distributed on 14 such forums of car brands. Responses were collected from 458 participants. The research process was reported in the methodology part of the manuscript containing 1056 words (100% degree of completion of the objective of the activity). The information is disseminated within the manuscript no.1, accepted for publication in the journal with impact factor Personality and Individual Differences.

Act. 1.3. Data analysis for study 1 (first empirical research) - Reporting and writing Results section for study 1 and sending the manuscript for publication The participants' answers were analyzed using multivariate statistics techniques (e.g., Structural equation modeling). Those characterized by slow life history strategies were low in aggressive driving, manifesting verbal aggression expression, physical aggression, and used the vehicle for aggressive expression), hypothesis 1 being supported by the data. Those high in conscientiousness and agreeableness were low in driving aggression types, and high in adaptive/constructive expression. Therefore, the results are partially in line with hypothesis 2. Individuals high in neuroticism, Machiavellianism, narcissism and psychopathy were aggressive behind the wheel. Therefore, the results supported hypothesis 3 (100% degree of completion of the objective of the activity). The information is disseminated within the manuscript no.1, accepted for publication in the journal with impact factor Personality and Individual Differences.

STAGE 2. Carrying out the second empirical research of the project - The relationship between life history strategies and objective indicators of deviant driving. The mediating role of the Big Five personality traits and Dark Triad traits and the moderating role of socioeconomic status.

Act. 2.1. Selecting the literature for Study 2 and writing the introduction. Writing the argumentative part for the study 2.Stage 2 began by selecting the literature for theargumentative part of the second empirical research. Successive searches wereperformed in the scientific databases based on the following keywords: deviantdriving * risky driving outcomes * driving accidents * driving fines * drivinglicense suspension * personality * Big Five * FFM * Dark Triad. Searches wereperformed in the following databases: ScienceDirect, Scopus, Taylor &Francis, Sage, Springer Nature, Wiley & Sons, PsychNET APA, Ebsco,ProQuest, as well as meta-searches using Google Scholar and Research Gate. Thesearch results revealed between 7243 and 18564 results according to thescientific database. Three hundred sixty-four articles that had appropriate content for the purpose of the second empirical research in this project were downloaded. This was followed by the actual writing of the argumentative part (introduction) of the manuscript of the second research containing 1650 words (100% degree of completion of the objective of the activity). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 2 which is currently under scientific review by the editorial office of the magazine Personality and Individual Differences.

Act. 2.2. Data collection for study 2 - Writing the methodological part for the second empirical research (Study 2). After the completion of the introduction, Stage 2 continued with the methodological part of the second empirical research. We used the following measures: Mini-K (the short form of the K factor of personality Figueredo et al., 2006) to measure strategies based on life history. Big Five Inventory (John, Naumann, & Soto, 2008) to measure personality factors in the Big Five model. Short Dark Triad (SD3; Jones & Paulhus, 2014) to measure psychopathy. Dickman Impulsivity scale (Dickman, 1990) to measure impulsivity. Griskevicius socioeconomic status measure (Griskevicius et al., 2013) to measure socioeconomic status Risky Driving outcomes (Chraif, Aniței, Burtăverde, & Mihăilă, 2016) to measure the objective indicators of maladaptive driving. The measures were then uploaded to an online survey platform (Google Forms) for administration. The tools were distributed on Facebook groups for drivers or car brands. Responses were collected from 487 participants. The research process was reported in the methodology part of the manuscript containing 945 words (100% degree of completion of the objective of the activity). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 2 which is currently under scientific review by the editorial office of the magazine Personality and Individual Differences.

Act. 2.3. Data analysis for study 2 (second empirical research) - Reporting and writing the part of the results for study 2 and sending the manuscript for publication. The answers collected from the participants were analyzed using multivariate inferential statistics techniques (Structural equation modeling). The results obtained partially supported the research hypotheses (e.g., significant positive relationships between life history strategies and objective indicators of deviant driving, mediating effect of personality factors in the Big Five model, and psychopathy). The research results were reported in the results part of the manuscript containing 852 words (100% degree of completion of the activity objective). (100% degree of completion of the objective of the activity). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 2 which is currently under scientific review by the editorial office of the magazine Personality and Individual Differences.

Act. 2.4. Selecting the literature for Study 3 and writing the introduction, writing the argumentative part for study 3. Successive searches were performed in the scientific databases based on the following keywords: psychological intervention * psychotherapy * CBT * intervention of driving aggression * risky driving outcomes * driving accidents * Searches were performed in the following databases: Sciencedirect, Scopus, Taylor & Francis, Sage, Springer Nature, Wiley & Sons, PsychNET APA, Ebsco, ProQuest, as well as meta-searches using Google Scholar and Research Gate. The search results highlighted between 5121 and 9254 results according to the scientific database. One hundred twelve articles were downloaded that had appropriate content for the purpose of the third empirical research in this project. This was followed by the actual writing of the argumentative part (introduction) of the manuscript of the first research containing 2150 words (100% degree of completion of the objective of the activity). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the journal Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour.

Act. 2.5. Participant recruitment and eligibility screening for the third research - randomized controlled trial.

Eligibility criteria for participation were: (1) having a valid category B driver's license, (2) driving at least 3000 km per year, (3) a Z score on fast life history strategies and driving aggression of at least 1, (4) did not benefit from any other form of psychotherapy in the last 6 months, (5) did not receive drug treatment for mental disorders, (6) did not have a nosographic diagnosis for a specific psychiatric disorder, (7 ) did not receive counseling for aggressive driving at the recommendation of the authorities, (8), did not have any medical diagnosis affecting the activity of driving.

Participants were recruited from the Study 2 sample (N = 487). All participants were given a questionnaire where they had to answer the criteria mentioned before. After the analysis of the eligibility criteria, 104 participants were selected to participate in the randomized controlled trial (100% degree of completion of the activity objective). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the journal Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour.

Act. 2.6. Randomization of participants for Study 3.

The 104 selected participants were randomized into the three experimental conditions: (1) the group that will receive the cognitive-evolutionary intervention, (2) the group that will receive the standard cognitive intervention, and (3) the group that is on the waiting list (100% degree of completion of the activity objective). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the journal Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour.

Stage 3 - Implementation of the psychological intervention related to Study 3

Act 3.1. The initial testing of the participants before the implementation of the intervention (pretest) related to Study 3. Following randomization, the first measurement of the outcome variable was carried out.

The study included the following measures to assess aggressive driving and fitness-related characteristics: driving scenarios (Lycnh, Deffenbacher, Filetti & Dahlen, 1999), personal driving anger situations (Lynch et al., 1999), Activity Journal driving (Lynch et al., 1999), Driving Anger Scale (Deffenbacher, Oetting, & Lynch, 1994), Driving Anger Expression Questionnaire (Deffenbacher et al., 2002), High-K Strategy Scale (Giosan, 2006), Mini- K (Figueredo et al., 2002), Dickman Impulsivity Scale (Dickman, 1990). These measures have also been used in previous studies testing the effectiveness of various interventions to manage aggression (Deffenbacher et al., 2002). We used the same instruments to measure to maintain the equivalence of the measured constructs.

The tools were administered online, by the facilitators (100% degree of completion of the activity objective). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the journal Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour.

Act 3.2. The implementation of the psychological intervention related to Study 3. The implementation of the intervention began by choosing a facilitator for each group. The facilitator for the experimental group that benefited from cognitive-evolutionary psychotherapy was a CBT psychotherapist with research experience in the area of evolutionary psychology. The facilitator of the group that benefited from the standard intervention was a psychotherapist trained in cognitive-behavioral therapy. The group meetings were held online due to the pandemic context.

The intervention consisted of twelve one-hour group sessions (n = 8-9) conducted weekly. The content of all sessions addressed the proximal (cognitive aspects related to impulsivity and emotional aspects related to impulsivity) and distal (evolution-fitness related) causes of driving aggression as described earlier. The methods and techniques used for proximal causes were standard impulsivity-focused cognitive therapy methods as proposed by Grant, Donahue, & Odlaug (2011). Some examples are: identifying triggers of impulsivity and healthy behaviors, exposure to situational triggers, imaginal exposure and exposure therapy, identifying erroneous beliefs related to impulsivity, cognitive interventions for impulsive beliefs, topics on behavioral and cognitive exercises, relapse prevention. Next, the structure of the cognitive-evolutionary intervention that was delivered to the experimental group is described:

Sessions 1 and 2

Evolutionary component: During the first two sessions, the therapist aims to educate the client about core topics such as aggression, impulsivity, and psychotherapy, with a focus on the importance of homework. Evolutionary cognitive therapy insights (e.g., the adaptive functions of aggression) are also presented. The client is informed about the associations between aggression and fitness-related behaviors and why such an evolutionary approach may represent a framework for a cognitive intervention. The homework for this session includes establishing concrete goals drawing on the fitness deficits, and examples of target adaptive and prosocial behaviors (Giosan et al., 2014).

CBT component: The first two sessions provide a self-managed relaxation treatment rationale (i.e. the individual would become aware of anger arousal and apply relaxation to calm down and training in progressive relaxation and four specific relaxation coping skills:

Sessions 3-5

Evolutionary component: In session three, the therapist aims at drawing on the fitness deficits list and discussing the clients’ understanding of the distal causes of impulsivity driving anger.

CBT component: The third session initiate active training in the application of relaxation skills for anger management.

Minutes 0-10: After discussing homework and clarifying the scene, the therapist initiates a brief period of relaxation without tension.

Minutes 10-25: When all of them are relaxed, the therapist instructs clients to visualize the anger scene (i.e. being stuck in heavy traffic) and experience and attend to anger arousal.

After experiencing anger arousal for approximately 30 seconds, the therapist terminates visualization of the scene and provides instructions for two of the four relaxation coping skills.

When all clients signal relaxation, the procedure is repeated with a different combination of relaxation coping skills. This process is repeated as time allows, usually with four to six repetitions.

Minutes 25-25: a) relaxation without tensing (i.e. focusing on and releasing muscle tension without tensing muscles);

1. Lie comfortably on the floor.
2. Take a few deep breaths to relax.


3. Breathe in. Tense the muscles of your feet.


4. Breath out. Release the tension in your feet.


5. Breathe in. Tense your calf muscles.


6. Breathe out. Release the tension in your calves.


7. Work your way up your body. Tense each muscle group. This includes your legs, belly, chest, fingers, arms, shoulders, neck, and face.

Minutes 25-35: (b) breathing cued relaxation (i.e. relaxing more on each of three to five slow deep breaths);

1. Sit comfortably on the floor or in a chair.
2. Breathe in through your nose. As you do it, count to five.
3. Breath out through your nose to the count of five.


4. Repeat several times.

Once you feel comfortable with breaths that last five counts, increase how long you breathe in and breathe out. You can work up to breaths that last up to 10 counts.

It is important toncrease the number of counts with each breath.

Minutes 35-45: (c) cue-controlled relaxation (i.e. relaxing more to the slow repetition of the word ‘relax’ or a similar word or phrase such as ‘calm control’);

1. Sit comfortably on the floor or in a chair.


2. Breathe in through your nose. As you do it, count to five.


3. Breathe out through your nose to the count of five.


4. Repeat several times.

Once you feel comfortable with breaths that last five counts, increase how long you breathe in and breathe out.

Say relax when breath in and relax when breath out.

Minutses 45-60: (d) relaxation imagery (i.e. visualizing a personal relaxation image)

Homework is the same as prior sessions, except clients specific concrete details of two scenes for the coming session and start applying relaxation coping skills for driving anger reduction.

Sessions 6-8

Evolutionary component: In session three, the therapist aims at drawing on the fitness deficits list and discussing the clients’ understanding of the distal causes of impulsivity driving anger.

CBT component: Procedures for the next sessions follow this same general pattern with the following modifications.

First, two different scenes are employed in each session and are alternated during visualization. This is done to provide a broad range of situations in which relaxation is applied and to make sure that clients have at least one scene per session that elicits anger.

Instruct participants to think about a traffic situation that make them feel angry. After relaxation techniques are preformed, instruct participants to think about another traffic scene that make them angry.

 Second, the anger arousing capacity of scenes increases over time such that in the eighth session clients must cope with their most angering sources of driving anger.

Instruct participants to think to more angering situations from scene to scene and then, perform relaxation.

 Third, procedures shift from therapist to client control (i.e. shift from therapist retrieval of relaxation in Sessions 3 and 4 to client self-initiation of relaxation while continuing to visualize anger scene in Sessions 5-6).

II. Cognitive coping skills-relaxation/cognitive restructuring

Sessions 8-10

Evolutionary component: Sessions 7 to 8 aim at working on the fitness deficits by conceptualizing them in the evolutionary framework. For example, someirrational beliefs may be understood as adaptive cognitive structures left overfrom the Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness (Giosan et al., 2014). Thisshould help the client gain control and insight regarding antisocial behavior.  Also in sessions 5 to 8 we aim at focusing on all the fitness-related issues by enhancing the client’sadaptive beliefs and cognitions, and by lowering the irrational beliefs.Standard cognitive therapy represents the core of these sessions.

CBT component: Rethinking/taking a different perspective on sources of anger and frustration) and for the monitoring of cognitive processes being added to self-monitoring homework.

Minutes 1-60: Identifying the activating event of anger. The therapist instructs the participants to become aware of what trigger their irrational cognitions in traffic. What events lead to those irrational cognitions.

STEP 1: THE SITUATION

 In Step 1, you write down the upsetting situation. The situation might be an actual event, such as going to the grocery store, or having an argument with someone, or a memory of an event such as thinking about the disaster. In either case, just write one sentence describing the situation.

STEP 2: THE FEELING

 In Step 2, you wantto identify the most upsetting feeling you had in the situation. Sometimes you may have had more than one feeling in the situation, but you should focus on identifying the strongest and most upsetting feeling. It is easiest to focus on four broad feelings. In this regard, anger is the emotion that we work on.

STEP 3: THE THOUGHT

 In Step 3, youidentify your thoughts about the situation that are underlying your upsetting feelings. If you are unsure what those thoughts are, ask yourself the following questions, depending on what your upsetting feelings were:

For anger, ask yourself, “What is unfair about this situation?” “Who has wronged me?”

You may have several upsetting thoughts related to the situation. The following questions may help you identify other upsetting thoughts about the situation: • What would it mean to you if XX happened? • If XX happened, what would happen then? • What would be so bad about XX happening?

Sessions 11-12

Evolutionary component: Sessions 9 aims at working on the fitness deficits by conceptualizing them in the evolutionary framework. For example, some irrational beliefs may be understood as adaptive cognitive structures left over from the Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness (Giosan et al., 2014). This should help the client gain control and insight regarding antisocial behavior.  Also in sessions 5 to 8 we aim at focusing on all the fitness-related issues by enhancing the client’s adaptive beliefs and cognitions, and by lowering the irrational beliefs. Standard cognitive therapy represents the core of these sessions.

CBT component: Minutele 1-60: Starting with third session, cognitive change is initiated. All anger engendering ways of thinking about the scenes are discussed, and cognitive counters are developed for each. Cognitive restructuring uses frequent Socratic questions (e.g. ‘What’s another way of thinking about that situation?’ ‘What are all the reasons that might account for why the person behaved that way?’ ‘Where’s your evidence for thinking that they are doing that just to piss you off?’) and behavioral experiments and tryouts (e.g. ‘Can we identify a situation in which you can check that out?’ ‘Would you be willing to interview 10 people in your dorm about why they do that?’) to address cognitive distortions and biased information processing.

These processes allow cognitive strategies to be more closely tailored to the specific driving situations addressed in each session. For example, the types of anger engendering thoughts and their anger lowering alternatives for dealing with other drivers yelling at them may differ substantially from those relevant to driving in heavy traffic.

 Early in the nine session, participants spend about 15 min developing anger lowering thoughts for the scene for that session (i.e. being stuck in heavy traffic). Alternative cognitive responses are recorded by the therapist and integrated with relaxation rehearsal described previously for RCS.

 After the relaxation is reinstated following visualizing the anger scene, but before going to the next rehearsal, the therapist instructs clients to think about the heavy traffic situation in less angry ways and then read two to four of the anger reducing cognitive responses generated earlier. This process is repeated as time allows, generally leading to three to four repetitions.

Finally, the pattern of progression outlined for RCS (i.e. identical scenes of increasing anger arousing capacity, and a shift from therapist to client control), but add cognitive coping skill development and application.

That is, two scenes are discussed in the first half of the session and anger lowering cognitions are elucidated. Then, two to four of the anger lowering thoughts are rehearsed along with relaxation in the procedures outlined for RCS (i.e. clients rehearse relaxation and new cognitive responses prior to going to the next rehearsal).

 Across sessions, clients take increasing responsibility for initiating cognitive change strategies that work best for them.

Homework paralleled RCS, but CRCS clients also develop a written list of personal cognitive counters for the situations addressed in that session and engage in in vivo cognitive and relaxation coping skill application.

 Inductively, over sessions clients develop an increased repertoire of cognitive coping skills for addressing anger while driving. Also, application of cognitive coping skills to other sources of anger and distress are added after Session 5, and maintenance is discussed in Session 12.

(100% degree of completion of the activity objective). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the magazine Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour)

Act 3.3. The final testing of the participants following the implementation of the intervention and the follow-up testing related to Study 3

Measurements were taken before treatment, after every 2 sessions, post-treatment and on a four-week follow-up basis. Periodic evaluations were carried out (after every 2 sessions) to be able to identify the mechanism of change (which component of the intervention leads to the causal link between the intervention and the outcome). (100% degree of completion of the activity objective). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the magazine Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour).

Act 3.4. Editing of the results and discussions related to Study 3

Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Testing of the research hypotheses showed that the evolutionary cognitive intervention did not result in statistically significantly different results compared to the standard cognitive intervention. However, the cognitive-evolutionary intervention resulted in a significantly greater reduction in aggressive driving than the wait-list group. The scientific paper reporting this study will be the third study of this project (100% degree of completion of the activity objective). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the magazine Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour).

3. The estimated impact of the results obtained, emphasizing the most significant results obtained.

The most important results of this project are:

• Those characterized by strategies based on the slow type of life history reported low levels of aggressive driving, in all three of its forms: verbal expression of aggression, physical expression, and use of vehicle for aggressive expression. Those with high levels of conscientiousness and agreeableness reported low levels of aggressive driving. Individuals with high neuroticism, Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy were aggressive drivers. Psychopathy mediated the relationship between slow-type life history strategies and aggressive driving. These results are visible in the article that is accepted for publication in the journal with impact factor Personality and Individual Differences.

• Those with high levels of fast life history strategies recorded higher levels of risky driving indicators (e.g. driver's license suspension) disseminated within manuscript no. 2 which is under scientific review by the editorial office of Personality and Individual Differences journal.

1. The intended/achieved objectives:

This research project (1) investigated the relationship between life fast life history strategies and aggressive driving by testing the mediating role of personality traits and the moderating role of socioeconomic status, (2) tested the relationship between history-based fast life history strategies and the maladaptive indicators of driving (involvement in accidents, fines received, driving license suspension) and (3) developed and tested the effectiveness of an evolutionary cognitive intervention focused on impulsivity aimed at reducing aggressive driving.

2. Presentation of the results obtained:

STAGE 1. Carrying out the first empirical research of the project - The relationship between life history strategies and aggressive driving. The mediating role of Big Five personality traits and the moderating role of socioeconomic status.

Act. 1.1. Selecting the literature for Study 1 and writing the introduction - Writing the argumentative part for study 1. Stage 1 began by selecting the necessary literature for the argumentative part of the first empirical research. Successive searches were performed in scientific publishers' databases based on the following keywords: driving aggression * personality * Big Five * FFM *. Searches were performed in the following databases: ScienceDirect, Scopus, Taylor & Francis, Sage, Springer Nature, Wiley & Sons, PsychNET APA, Ebsco, ProQuest, as well as meta-searches using Google Scholar and Research Gate. The search results showed between 5893 and 17540 results, depending on the scientific database. Three hundred twenty articles were downloaded, which had appropriate content for the first empirical research of this project. This was followed by the actual writing of the argumentative part (introduction) of the first research manuscript, containing 1800 (100% degree of completion of the objective of the activity). The information is disseminated within the manuscript no.1, accepted for publication in the journal with impact factor Personality and Individual Differences.

Act. 1.2. Data collection for study 1 - Writing the methodological part for the first empirical research (Study 1). After completing the introduction, Stage 1 continued with the methodological part of the first empirical research. We have selected the following measures to translate them into Romanian: Mini-K (the short form of the K factor of personality, Figueredo et al., 2006) to measure life history strategies. Big Five Inventory (John, Naumann, & Soto, 2008) to measure Big Five personality factors Short Dark Triad (SD3; Jones & Paulhus, 2014) to measure psychopathy. Dickman Impulsivity scale (Dickman, 1990) to measure impulsivity. Griskevicius socioeconomic status (Griskevicius et al., 2013) to measure socioeconomic status. Driving Anger Expression Inventory (Deffenbacher, Lynch, Oetting, & Swaim, 2002) to measure aggressive driving.

The translation-back translation process was used to check the adequacy of the translated versions into Romanian. The project director did the translations, and a master's and a doctoral student in psychology participated in the retroversion process. Subsequently, the translated and adapted measures were uploaded to an online platform (Google Forms) for administration. The measures were distributed on forums of fan clubs of different car brands in order to be able to collect data from participants representative for the study (e.g., who have a driving license and who actually drive). The link for access was distributed on 14 such forums of car brands. Responses were collected from 458 participants. The research process was reported in the methodology part of the manuscript containing 1056 words (100% degree of completion of the objective of the activity). The information is disseminated within the manuscript no.1, accepted for publication in the journal with impact factor Personality and Individual Differences.

Act. 1.3. Data analysis for study 1 (first empirical research) - Reporting and writing Results section for study 1 and sending the manuscript for publication The participants' answers were analyzed using multivariate statistics techniques (e.g., Structural equation modeling). Those characterized by slow life history strategies were low in aggressive driving, manifesting verbal aggression expression, physical aggression, and used the vehicle for aggressive expression), hypothesis 1 being supported by the data. Those high in conscientiousness and agreeableness were low in driving aggression types, and high in adaptive/constructive expression. Therefore, the results are partially in line with hypothesis 2. Individuals high in neuroticism, Machiavellianism, narcissism and psychopathy were aggressive behind the wheel. Therefore, the results supported hypothesis 3 (100% degree of completion of the objective of the activity). The information is disseminated within the manuscript no.1, accepted for publication in the journal with impact factor Personality and Individual Differences.

STAGE 2. Carrying out the second empirical research of the project - The relationship between life history strategies and objective indicators of deviant driving. The mediating role of the Big Five personality traits and Dark Triad traits and the moderating role of socioeconomic status.

Act. 2.1. Selecting the literature for Study 2 and writing the introduction. Writing the argumentative part for the study 2.Stage 2 began by selecting the literature for theargumentative part of the second empirical research. Successive searches wereperformed in the scientific databases based on the following keywords: deviantdriving * risky driving outcomes * driving accidents * driving fines * drivinglicense suspension * personality * Big Five * FFM * Dark Triad. Searches wereperformed in the following databases: ScienceDirect, Scopus, Taylor &Francis, Sage, Springer Nature, Wiley & Sons, PsychNET APA, Ebsco,ProQuest, as well as meta-searches using Google Scholar and Research Gate. Thesearch results revealed between 7243 and 18564 results according to thescientific database. Three hundred sixty-four articles that had appropriate content for the purpose of the second empirical research in this project were downloaded. This was followed by the actual writing of the argumentative part (introduction) of the manuscript of the second research containing 1650 words (100% degree of completion of the objective of the activity). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 2 which is currently under scientific review by the editorial office of the magazine Personality and Individual Differences.

Act. 2.2. Data collection for study 2 - Writing the methodological part for the second empirical research (Study 2). After the completion of the introduction, Stage 2 continued with the methodological part of the second empirical research. We used the following measures: Mini-K (the short form of the K factor of personality Figueredo et al., 2006) to measure strategies based on life history. Big Five Inventory (John, Naumann, & Soto, 2008) to measure personality factors in the Big Five model. Short Dark Triad (SD3; Jones & Paulhus, 2014) to measure psychopathy. Dickman Impulsivity scale (Dickman, 1990) to measure impulsivity. Griskevicius socioeconomic status measure (Griskevicius et al., 2013) to measure socioeconomic status Risky Driving outcomes (Chraif, Aniței, Burtăverde, & Mihăilă, 2016) to measure the objective indicators of maladaptive driving. The measures were then uploaded to an online survey platform (Google Forms) for administration. The tools were distributed on Facebook groups for drivers or car brands. Responses were collected from 487 participants. The research process was reported in the methodology part of the manuscript containing 945 words (100% degree of completion of the objective of the activity). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 2 which is currently under scientific review by the editorial office of the magazine Personality and Individual Differences.

Act. 2.3. Data analysis for study 2 (second empirical research) - Reporting and writing the part of the results for study 2 and sending the manuscript for publication. The answers collected from the participants were analyzed using multivariate inferential statistics techniques (Structural equation modeling). The results obtained partially supported the research hypotheses (e.g., significant positive relationships between life history strategies and objective indicators of deviant driving, mediating effect of personality factors in the Big Five model, and psychopathy). The research results were reported in the results part of the manuscript containing 852 words (100% degree of completion of the activity objective). (100% degree of completion of the objective of the activity). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 2 which is currently under scientific review by the editorial office of the magazine Personality and Individual Differences.

Act. 2.4. Selecting the literature for Study 3 and writing the introduction, writing the argumentative part for study 3. Successive searches were performed in the scientific databases based on the following keywords: psychological intervention * psychotherapy * CBT * intervention of driving aggression * risky driving outcomes * driving accidents * Searches were performed in the following databases: Sciencedirect, Scopus, Taylor & Francis, Sage, Springer Nature, Wiley & Sons, PsychNET APA, Ebsco, ProQuest, as well as meta-searches using Google Scholar and Research Gate. The search results highlighted between 5121 and 9254 results according to the scientific database. One hundred twelve articles were downloaded that had appropriate content for the purpose of the third empirical research in this project. This was followed by the actual writing of the argumentative part (introduction) of the manuscript of the first research containing 2150 words (100% degree of completion of the objective of the activity). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the journal Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour.

Act. 2.5. Participant recruitment and eligibility screening for the third research - randomized controlled trial.

Eligibility criteria for participation were: (1) having a valid category B driver's license, (2) driving at least 3000 km per year, (3) a Z score on fast life history strategies and driving aggression of at least 1, (4) did not benefit from any other form of psychotherapy in the last 6 months, (5) did not receive drug treatment for mental disorders, (6) did not have a nosographic diagnosis for a specific psychiatric disorder, (7 ) did not receive counseling for aggressive driving at the recommendation of the authorities, (8), did not have any medical diagnosis affecting the activity of driving.

Participants were recruited from the Study 2 sample (N = 487). All participants were given a questionnaire where they had to answer the criteria mentioned before. After the analysis of the eligibility criteria, 104 participants were selected to participate in the randomized controlled trial (100% degree of completion of the activity objective). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the journal Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour.

Act. 2.6. Randomization of participants for Study 3.

The 104 selected participants were randomized into the three experimental conditions: (1) the group that will receive the cognitive-evolutionary intervention, (2) the group that will receive the standard cognitive intervention, and (3) the group that is on the waiting list (100% degree of completion of the activity objective). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the journal Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour.

Stage 3 - Implementation of the psychological intervention related to Study 3

Act 3.1. The initial testing of the participants before the implementation of the intervention (pretest) related to Study 3. Following randomization, the first measurement of the outcome variable was carried out.

The study included the following measures to assess aggressive driving and fitness-related characteristics: driving scenarios (Lycnh, Deffenbacher, Filetti & Dahlen, 1999), personal driving anger situations (Lynch et al., 1999), Activity Journal driving (Lynch et al., 1999), Driving Anger Scale (Deffenbacher, Oetting, & Lynch, 1994), Driving Anger Expression Questionnaire (Deffenbacher et al., 2002), High-K Strategy Scale (Giosan, 2006), Mini- K (Figueredo et al., 2002), Dickman Impulsivity Scale (Dickman, 1990). These measures have also been used in previous studies testing the effectiveness of various interventions to manage aggression (Deffenbacher et al., 2002). We used the same instruments to measure to maintain the equivalence of the measured constructs.

The tools were administered online, by the facilitators (100% degree of completion of the activity objective). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the journal Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour.

Act 3.2. The implementation of the psychological intervention related to Study 3. The implementation of the intervention began by choosing a facilitator for each group. The facilitator for the experimental group that benefited from cognitive-evolutionary psychotherapy was a CBT psychotherapist with research experience in the area of evolutionary psychology. The facilitator of the group that benefited from the standard intervention was a psychotherapist trained in cognitive-behavioral therapy. The group meetings were held online due to the pandemic context.

The intervention consisted of twelve one-hour group sessions (n = 8-9) conducted weekly. The content of all sessions addressed the proximal (cognitive aspects related to impulsivity and emotional aspects related to impulsivity) and distal (evolution-fitness related) causes of driving aggression as described earlier. The methods and techniques used for proximal causes were standard impulsivity-focused cognitive therapy methods as proposed by Grant, Donahue, & Odlaug (2011). Some examples are: identifying triggers of impulsivity and healthy behaviors, exposure to situational triggers, imaginal exposure and exposure therapy, identifying erroneous beliefs related to impulsivity, cognitive interventions for impulsive beliefs, topics on behavioral and cognitive exercises, relapse prevention. Next, the structure of the cognitive-evolutionary intervention that was delivered to the experimental group is described:

Sessions 1 and 2

Evolutionary component: During the first two sessions, the therapist aims to educate the client about core topics such as aggression, impulsivity, and psychotherapy, with a focus on the importance of homework. Evolutionary cognitive therapy insights (e.g., the adaptive functions of aggression) are also presented. The client is informed about the associations between aggression and fitness-related behaviors and why such an evolutionary approach may represent a framework for a cognitive intervention. The homework for this session includes establishing concrete goals drawing on the fitness deficits, and examples of target adaptive and prosocial behaviors (Giosan et al., 2014).

CBT component: The first two sessions provide a self-managed relaxation treatment rationale (i.e. the individual would become aware of anger arousal and apply relaxation to calm down and training in progressive relaxation and four specific relaxation coping skills:

Sessions 3-5

Evolutionary component: In session three, the therapist aims at drawing on the fitness deficits list and discussing the clients’ understanding of the distal causes of impulsivity driving anger.

CBT component: The third session initiate active training in the application of relaxation skills for anger management.

Minutes 0-10: After discussing homework and clarifying the scene, the therapist initiates a brief period of relaxation without tension.

Minutes 10-25: When all of them are relaxed, the therapist instructs clients to visualize the anger scene (i.e. being stuck in heavy traffic) and experience and attend to anger arousal.

After experiencing anger arousal for approximately 30 seconds, the therapist terminates visualization of the scene and provides instructions for two of the four relaxation coping skills.

When all clients signal relaxation, the procedure is repeated with a different combination of relaxation coping skills. This process is repeated as time allows, usually with four to six repetitions.

Minutes 25-25: a) relaxation without tensing (i.e. focusing on and releasing muscle tension without tensing muscles);

1. Lie comfortably on the floor.
2. Take a few deep breaths to relax.
3. Breathe in. Tense the muscles of your feet.
4. Breathe out. Release the tension in your feet.
5. Breathe in. Tense your calf muscles.
6. Breathe out. Release the tension in your calves.
7. Work your way up your body. Tense each muscle group. This includes your legs, belly, chest, fingers, arms, shoulders, neck, and face.

 

Minutes 25-35: (b) breathing cued relaxation (i.e. relaxing more on each of three to five slow deep breaths);

1. Sit comfortably on the floor or in a chair.
2. Breathe in through your nose. As you do it, count to five.
3. Breathe out through your nose to the count of five.
4. Repeat several times.

Once you feel comfortable with breaths that last five counts, increase how long you breathe in and breathe out. You can work up to breaths that last up to 10 counts.

It is important to increase the number of counts with each breath.

Minutes 35-45: (c) cue-controlled relaxation (i.e. relaxing more to the slow repetition of the word ‘relax’ or a similar word or phrase such as ‘calm control’);

1. Sit comfortably on the floor or in a chair.
2. Breathe in through your nose. As you do it, count to five.
3. Breathe out through your nose to the count of five.
4. Repeat several times.

Once you feel comfortable with breaths that last five counts, increase how long you breathe in and breathe out.

Say relax when breath in and relax when breath out.

Minutele 45-60: (d) relaxation imagery (i.e. visualizing a personal relaxation image).

Homework is the same as prior sessions, except clients specific concrete details of two scenes for the coming session and start applying relaxation coping skills for driving anger reduction.

Sessions 6-8

Evolutionary component: In session three, the therapist aims at drawing on the fitness deficits list and discussing the clients’ understanding of the distal causes of impulsivity driving anger.

CBT component: Procedures for the next sessions follow this same general pattern with the following modifications.

First, two different scenes are employed in each session and are alternated during visualization. This is done to provide a broad range of situations in which relaxation is applied and to make sure that clients have at least one scene per session that elicits anger.

Instruct participants to think about a traffic situation that make them feel angry. After relaxation techniques are preformed, instruct participants to think about another traffic scene that make them angry.

 Second, the anger arousing capacity of scenes increases over time such that in the eighth session clients must cope with their most angering sources of driving anger.

Instruct participants to think to more angering situations from scene to scene and then, perform relaxation.

 Third, procedures shift from therapist to client control (i.e. shift from therapist retrieval of relaxation in Sessions 3 and 4 to client self-initiation of relaxation while continuing to visualize anger scene in Sessions 5-6).

II. Cognitive coping skills-relaxation/cognitive restructuring

Sessions 8-10

Evolutionary component: Sessions 7 to 8 aim at working on the fitness deficits by conceptualizing them in the evolutionary framework. For example, some irrational beliefs may be understood as adaptive cognitive structures left over from the Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness (Giosan et al., 2014). This should help the client gain control and insight regarding antisocial behavior.  Also in sessions 5 to 8 we aim at focusing on all the fitness-related issues by enhancing the client’s adaptive beliefs and cognitions, and by lowering the irrational beliefs. Standard cognitive therapy represents the core of these sessions.

CBT component: Rethinking/taking a different perspective on sources of anger and frustration) and for the monitoring of cognitive processes being added to self-monitoring homework.

Minutele 1-60: Identifying the activating event of anger. The therapist instructs the participants to become aware of what trigger their irrational cognitions in traffic. What events lead to those irrational cognitions.

STEP 1: THE SITUATION

 In Step 1, you write down the upsetting situation. The situation might be an actual event, such as going to the grocery store, or having an argument with someone, or a memory of an event such as thinking about the disaster. In either case, just write one sentence describing the situation.

STEP 2: THE FEELING

 In Step 2, you want to identify the most upsetting feeling you had in the situation. Sometimes you may have had more than one feeling in the situation, but you should focus on identifying the strongest and most upsetting feeling. It is easiest to focus on four broad feelings. In this regard, anger is the emotion that we work on.

STEP 3: THE THOUGHT

 In Step 3, you identify your thoughts about the situation that are underlying your upsetting feelings. If you are unsure what those thoughts are, ask yourself the following questions, depending on what your upsetting feelings were:

For anger, ask yourself, “What is unfair about this situation?” “Who has wronged me?”

You may have several upsetting thoughts related to the situation. The following questions may help you identify other upsetting thoughts about the situation: • What would it mean to you if XX happened? • If XX happened, what would happen then? • What would be so bad about XX happening?

Sessions 11-12

Evolutionary component: Sessions 9 aims at working on the fitness deficits by conceptualizing them in the evolutionary framework. For example, some irrational beliefs may be understood as adaptive cognitive structures left over from the Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness (Giosan et al., 2014). This should help the client gain control and insight regarding antisocial behavior.  Also in sessions 5 to 8 we aim at focusing on all the fitness-related issues by enhancing the client’s adaptive beliefs and cognitions, and by lowering the irrational beliefs. Standard cognitive therapy represents the core of these sessions.

CBT component: Minutele 1-60: Starting with third session, cognitive change is initiated. All anger engendering ways of thinking about the scenes are discussed, and cognitive counters are developed for each. Cognitive restructuring uses frequent Socratic questions (e.g. ‘What’s another way of thinking about that situation?’ ‘What are all the reasons that might account for why the person behaved that way?’ ‘Where’s your evidence for thinking that they are doing that just to piss you off?’) and behavioral experiments and tryouts (e.g. ‘Can we identify a situation in which you can check that out?’ ‘Would you be willing to interview 10 people in your dorm about why they do that?’) to address cognitive distortions and biased information processing.

These processes allow cognitive strategies to be more closely tailored to the specific driving situations addressed in each session. For example, the types of anger engendering thoughts and their anger lowering alternatives for dealing with other drivers yelling at them may differ substantially from those relevant to driving in heavy traffic.

 Early in the nine session, participants spend about 15 min developing anger lowering thoughts for the scene for that session (i.e. being stuck in heavy traffic). Alternative cognitive responses are recorded by the therapist and integrated with relaxation rehearsal described previously for RCS.

 After the relaxation is reinstated following visualizing the anger scene, but before going to the next rehearsal, the therapist instructs clients to think about the heavy traffic situation in less angry ways and then read two to four of the anger reducing cognitive responses generated earlier. This process is repeated as time allows, generally leading to three to four repetitions.

Finally, the pattern of progression outlined for RCS (i.e. identical scenes of increasing anger arousing capacity, and a shift from therapist to client control), but add cognitive coping skill development and application.

That is, two scenes are discussed in the first half of the session and anger lowering cognitions are elucidated. Then, two to four of the anger lowering thoughts are rehearsed along with relaxation in the procedures outlined for RCS (i.e. clients rehearse relaxation and new cognitive responses prior to going to the next rehearsal).

 Across sessions, clients take increasing responsibility for initiating cognitive change strategies that work best for them.

Homework paralleled RCS, but CRCS clients also develop a written list of personal cognitive counters for the situations addressed in that session and engage in in vivo cognitive and relaxation coping skill application.

 Inductively, over sessions clients develop an increased repertoire of cognitive coping skills for addressing anger while driving. Also, application of cognitive coping skills to other sources of anger and distress are added after Session 5, and maintenance is discussed in Session 12.

(100% degree of completion of the activity objective). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the magazine Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour)

Act 3.3. The final testing of the participants following the implementation of the intervention and the follow-up testing related to Study 3

Measurements were taken before treatment, after every 2 sessions, post-treatment and on a four-week follow-up basis. Periodic evaluations were carried out (after every 2 sessions) to be able to identify the mechanism of change (which component of the intervention leads to the causal link between the intervention and the outcome). (100% degree of completion of the activity objective). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the magazine Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour).

Act 3.4. Editing of the results and discussions related to Study 3

Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Testing of the research hypotheses showed that the evolutionary cognitive intervention did not result in statistically significantly different results compared to the standard cognitive intervention. However, the cognitive-evolutionary intervention resulted in a significantly greater reduction in aggressive driving than the wait-list group. The scientific paper reporting this study will be the third study of this project (100% degree of completion of the activity objective). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the magazine Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour).

3. The estimated impact of the results obtained, emphasizing the most significant results obtained.

The most important results of this project are:

• Those characterized by strategies based on the slow type of life history reported low levels of aggressive driving, in all three of its forms: verbal expression of aggression, physical expression, and use of vehicle for aggressive expression. Those with high levels of conscientiousness and agreeableness reported low levels of aggressive driving. Individuals with high neuroticism, Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy were aggressive drivers. Psychopathy mediated the relationship between slow-type life history strategies and aggressive driving. These results are visible in the article that is accepted for publication in the journal with impact factor Personality and Individual Differences.

• Those with high levels of fast life history strategies recorded higher levels of risky driving indicators (e.g. driver's license suspension) disseminated within manuscript no. 2 which is under scientific review by the editorial office of Personality and Individual Differences journal.

• The evolutionary cognitive intervention did not lead to statistically significantly different results regarding driving aggression compared to the standard cognitive intervention. However, the cognitive-evolutionary intervention resulted in a significantly greater reduction in aggressive driving than the waiting-list group. The scientific paper reporting this study will be the third study of this project (100% degree of completion of the activity objective). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the magazine Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour).

• The evolutionary cognitive intervention did not lead to statistically significantly different results regarding driving aggression compared to the standard cognitive intervention. However, the cognitive-evolutionary intervention resulted in a significantly greater reduction in aggressive driving than the waiting-list group. The scientific paper reporting this study will be the third study of this project (100% degree of completion of the activity objective). The information will be disseminated within the manuscript no. 3 which will be sent for publication to the magazine Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour).