IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jotrge/v59y2017icp146-155.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Residential self-selection and travel behaviour: What are the effects of attitudes, reasons for location choice and the built environment?

Author

Listed:
  • Ettema, Dick
  • Nieuwenhuis, Roy

Abstract

In studies of the effect of built environment on travel behaviour, residential self-selection is an increasingly important issue. Self-selection implies that households locate in places that provide them with conducive conditions for their preferred way of travelling. In these studies, it is assumed that attitudes toward different travel modes are an important factor in location choice, and that households are unconstrained in choosing their preferred residential location. This paper challenges these assumptions, by distinguishing between the more passive travel attitude and travel considerations as a deliberate reason to locate in a certain place. Based on a survey among 355 recently relocated households in Dutch TOD locations, we find that the association between travel attitude and residential environment is weak, and that the association between travel attitude and travel as a factor in location choice is moderate at best. Multivariate models show that both travel attitude and travel being a reason for location choice influence travel mode use, suggesting that travel attitude is insufficient to fully reflect self-selection processes. In comparison to other travel modes, train travel is most influenced by the fact whether residents deliberately chose to live in an environment conducive to using this mode.

Suggested Citation

  • Ettema, Dick & Nieuwenhuis, Roy, 2017. "Residential self-selection and travel behaviour: What are the effects of attitudes, reasons for location choice and the built environment?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 146-155.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:59:y:2017:i:c:p:146-155
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2017.01.009
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966692316301892
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2017.01.009?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kamruzzaman, Md. & Shatu, Farjana Mostafiz & Hine, Julian & Turrell, Gavin, 2015. "Commuting mode choice in transit oriented development: Disentangling the effects of competitive neighbourhoods, travel attitudes, and self-selection," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 187-196.
    2. De Vos, Jonas & Derudder, Ben & Van Acker, Veronique & Witlox, Frank, 2012. "Reducing car use: changing attitudes or relocating? The influence of residential dissonance on travel behavior," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 1-9.
    3. Scheiner, Joachim, 2010. "Social inequalities in travel behaviour: trip distances in the context of residential self-selection and lifestyles," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 18(6), pages 679-690.
    4. Mokhtarian, Patricia L. & Cao, Xinyu, 2008. "Examining the impacts of residential self-selection on travel behavior: A focus on methodologies," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 204-228, March.
    5. Xinyu Cao & Daniel Chatman, 2016. "How will smart growth land-use policies affect travel? A theoretical discussion on the importance of residential sorting," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 43(1), pages 58-73, January.
    6. Cynthia Chen & Hongmian Gong & Robert Paaswell, 2008. "Role of the built environment on mode choice decisions: additional evidence on the impact of density," Transportation, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 285-299, May.
    7. Schwanen, Tim & Mokhtarian, Patricia L., 2003. "The Extent and Determinants of Dissonance Between Actual and Preferred Residential Neighborhood Type," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt8728p24s, University of California Transportation Center.
    8. Kamruzzaman, Md. & Baker, Douglas & Washington, Simon & Turrell, Gavin, 2013. "Residential dissonance and mode choice," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 12-28.
    9. Marlon G. Boarnet & Sharon Sarmiento, 1998. "Can Land-use Policy Really Affect Travel Behaviour? A Study of the Link between Non-work Travel and Land-use Characteristics," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 35(7), pages 1155-1169, June.
    10. Frank, Lawrence Douglas & Saelens, Brian E. & Powell, Ken E. & Chapman, James E., 2007. "Stepping towards causation: Do built environments or neighborhood and travel preferences explain physical activity, driving, and obesity?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(9), pages 1898-1914, November.
    11. Daniel G Chatman, 2009. "Residential Choice, the Built Environment, and Nonwork Travel: Evidence Using New Data and Methods," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 41(5), pages 1072-1089, May.
    12. Xinyu Cao & Susan Handy & Patricia Mokhtarian, 2006. "The Influences of the Built Environment and Residential Self-Selection on Pedestrian Behavior: Evidence from Austin, TX," Transportation, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 1-20, January.
    13. Cervero, Robert & Duncan, Michael, 2002. "Residential Self Selection and Rail Commuting: A Nested Logit Analysis," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt1wg020cd, University of California Transportation Center.
    14. Cao, Xinyu (Jason) & Mokhtarian, Patricia L. & Handy, Susan L., 2009. "The relationship between the built environment and nonwork travel: A case study of Northern California," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 43(5), pages 548-559, June.
    15. Cao, Xinyu & Mokhtarian, Patricia & Handy, Susan, 2008. "Examining The Impacts of Residential Self-Selection on Travel Behavior: Methodologies and Empirical Findings," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt08x1k476, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    16. Wendy Bohte & Kees Maat & Bert van Wee, 2009. "Measuring Attitudes in Research on Residential Self‐Selection and Travel Behaviour: A Review of Theories and Empirical Research," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(3), pages 325-357, February.
    17. Cao, Jason & Ettema, Dick, 2014. "Satisfaction with travel and residential self-selection: How do preferences moderate the impact of the Hiawatha Light Rail Transit line?," The Journal of Transport and Land Use, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, vol. 7(3), pages 93-108.
    18. William A V Clark & Youqin Huang, 2003. "The Life Course and Residential Mobility in British Housing Markets," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 35(2), pages 323-339, February.
    19. Tim Schwanen & Patricia L Mokhtarian, 2004. "The Extent and Determinants of Dissonance between Actual and Preferred Residential Neighborhood Type," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 31(5), pages 759-784, October.
    20. Cao, Xinyu (Jason), 2015. "Heterogeneous effects of neighborhood type on commute mode choice: An exploration of residential dissonance in the Twin Cities," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 188-196.
    21. Maarten van Ham & William A V Clark, 2009. "Neighbourhood Mobility in Context: Household Moves and Changing Neighbourhoods in the Netherlands," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 41(6), pages 1442-1459, June.
    22. Handy, Susan & Cao, Xinyu & Mokhtarian, Patricia L., 2005. "Correlation or causality between the built environment and travel behavior? Evidence from Northern California," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt5b76c5kg, University of California Transportation Center.
    23. Bert van Wee, 2009. "Self‐Selection: A Key to a Better Understanding of Location Choices, Travel Behaviour and Transport Externalities?," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(3), pages 279-292, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lin, Tao & Wang, Donggen & Guan, Xiaodong, 2017. "The built environment, travel attitude, and travel behavior: Residential self-selection or residential determination?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 111-122.
    2. Donggen Wang & Tao Lin, 2019. "Built environment, travel behavior, and residential self-selection: a study based on panel data from Beijing, China," Transportation, Springer, vol. 46(1), pages 51-74, February.
    3. Jarass, Julia & Scheiner, Joachim, 2018. "Residential self-selection and travel mode use in a new inner-city development neighbourhood in Berlin," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 68-77.
    4. van Wee, Bert & De Vos, Jonas & Maat, Kees, 2019. "Impacts of the built environment and travel behaviour on attitudes: Theories underpinning the reverse causality hypothesis," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    5. van de Coevering, Paul & Maat, Kees & van Wee, Bert, 2018. "Residential self-selection, reverse causality and residential dissonance. A latent class transition model of interactions between the built environment, travel attitudes and travel behavior," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 466-479.
    6. De Vos, Jonas & Ettema, Dick & Witlox, Frank, 2018. "Changing travel behaviour and attitudes following a residential relocation," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 131-147.
    7. Li, Jianling, 2018. "Residential and transit decisions: Insights from focus groups of neighborhoods around transit stations," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-9.
    8. Xinyu Cao & Patricia L. Mokhtarian, 2012. "The connections among accessibility, self- selection and walking behaviour: a case study of Northern California residents," Chapters, in: Karst T. Geurs & Kevin J. Krizek & Aura Reggiani (ed.), Accessibility Analysis and Transport Planning, chapter 5, pages 73-95, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    9. Phani Kumar, P. & Ravi Sekhar, Ch. & Parida, Manoranjan, 2018. "Residential dissonance in TOD neighborhoods," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 166-177.
    10. Cao, Xinyu (Jason), 2015. "Heterogeneous effects of neighborhood type on commute mode choice: An exploration of residential dissonance in the Twin Cities," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 188-196.
    11. De Vos, Jonas & Singleton, Patrick A., 2020. "Travel and cognitive dissonance," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 525-536.
    12. De Vos, Jonas & Van Acker, Veronique & Witlox, Frank, 2014. "The influence of attitudes on Transit-Oriented Development: An explorative analysis," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 326-329.
    13. Wolday, Fitwi & Cao, Jason & Næss, Petter, 2018. "Examining factors that keep residents with high transit preference away from transit-rich zones and associated behavior outcomes," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 224-234.
    14. Kamruzzaman, Md. & Baker, Douglas & Washington, Simon & Turrell, Gavin, 2013. "Residential dissonance and mode choice," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 12-28.
    15. Wang, Fenglong & Mao, Zidan & Wang, Donggen, 2020. "Residential relocation and travel satisfaction change: An empirical study in Beijing, China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 341-353.
    16. Guan, Xiaodong & Wang, Donggen, 2019. "Influences of the built environment on travel: A household-based perspective," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 710-724.
    17. Humphreys, John & Ahern, Aoife, 2019. "Is travel based residential self-selection a significant influence in modal choice and household location decisions?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 150-160.
    18. Janke, Julia, 2021. "Re-visiting residential self-selection and dissonance: Does intra-household decision-making change the results?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 379-401.
    19. Kamruzzaman, Md. & Shatu, Farjana Mostafiz & Hine, Julian & Turrell, Gavin, 2015. "Commuting mode choice in transit oriented development: Disentangling the effects of competitive neighbourhoods, travel attitudes, and self-selection," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 187-196.
    20. De Vos, Jonas & Mouratidis, Kostas & Cheng, Long & Kamruzzaman, Md., 2021. "Does a residential relocation enable satisfying travel?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 188-201.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:59:y:2017:i:c:p:146-155. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-transport-geography .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.