Final answer:
In situations of being tailgated or cut off, maintain calmness, avoid retaliatory actions, and practice defensive driving to ensure safety. Being followed by a police car typically prompts stricter adherence to traffic laws due to the Hawthorne effect.
Step-by-step explanation:
When dealing with aggressive driving situations such as being tailgated or cut off, the most appropriate reaction is to stay calm and maintain safe driving practices. If you are being tailgated, do not brake check the car behind you; instead, gently tap your brakes to signal them or slowly increase the distance from the vehicle in front of you to allow room for the tailgater to pass. It is important to avoid escalating the situation. In case you are cut off, maintain a safe following distance and resist the urge to retaliate or confront the other driver. Your priority should be to protect yourself and others on the road by practicing defensive driving.
The psychological observation that people's behavior changes under scrutiny is relevant in understanding reactions during driving. For instance, when being followed by a police car, drivers tend to become more cautious and adhere strictly to traffic laws, showcasing respect for authority. This tendency to change behavior under observation is known as the Hawthorne effect.