IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i7p2412-d157339.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Engaging in Pro-Environment Travel Behaviour Research from a Psycho-Social Perspective: A Review of Behavioural Variables and Theories

Author

Listed:
  • Cristina Pronello

    (EA 7284 AVENUES, Sorbonne Universités, Université de Technologie de Compiègne, 60203 Compiègne, France
    Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning, Politecnico di Torino, 10125 Torino, Italy)

  • Jean-Baptiste Gaborieau

    (Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning, Politecnico di Torino, 10125 Torino, Italy)

Abstract

This paper aims to review variables and behavioural theories originating from social and environmental psychology as applied to transport research, to better understand decision-making mechanisms, information processing and modal choice. The first section provides an overview of the main psycho-social variables which explain behaviour and, notably, pro-environment behaviour. The analysis shows the relations among variables, highlighting some potential cause-effect mechanism or, at least, the influence that such variables can have on behaviour. Furthermore, the strengths and weaknesses of using psycho-social variables to predict travel behaviour are discussed. Such analysis feeds the section related to the behavioural theories. These are reviewed with a focus on potential application to transport sector, showing the would-be added value of introducing a socio-psychological approach in the current vision, focused on stochastic models based on maximisation of personal utility. To this end, attention is paid to the data collection and analysis, basic for any models and even more challenging to collect when they deal with personal characteristics of individuals. Finally, the concept of attitude and intention is discussed, opening the doors between disciplines to overcome the attitude-behaviour gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Cristina Pronello & Jean-Baptiste Gaborieau, 2018. "Engaging in Pro-Environment Travel Behaviour Research from a Psycho-Social Perspective: A Review of Behavioural Variables and Theories," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-22, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:7:p:2412-:d:157339
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/7/2412/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/7/2412/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David T. Ory & Patricia L. Mokhtarian & Lothlorien S. Redmond & Ilan Salomon & Gustavo O. Collantes & Sangho Choo, 2004. "When is Commuting Desirable to the Individual?," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3), pages 334-359, September.
    2. Mokhtarian, Patricia L & Salomon, Ilan & S, Lothlorien, 2001. "Understanding the Demand for Travel: It's Not Purely 'Derived'," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt5bh2d8mh, University of California Transportation Center.
    3. Bamberg, Sebastian & Fujii, Satoshi & Friman, Margareta & Gärling, Tommy, 2011. "Behaviour theory and soft transport policy measures," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 228-235, January.
    4. Cao, Xinyu & Mokhtarian, Patricia L., 2005. "How do individuals adapt their personal travel? Objective and subjective influences on the consideration of travel-related strategies for San Francisco Bay Area commuters," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 291-302, July.
    5. Cao, Xinyu & Mokhtarian, Patricia L., 2005. "How do individuals adapt their personal travel? A conceptual exploration of the consideration of travel-related strategies," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 199-206, May.
    6. Michael J. Clay * & Patricia L. Mokhtarian, 2004. "Personal travel management: the adoption and consideration of travel-related strategies," Transportation Planning and Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(3), pages 181-209, June.
    7. Pronello, Cristina & Camusso, Cristian, 2011. "Travellers’ profiles definition using statistical multivariate analysis of attitudinal variables," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 1294-1308.
    8. Eric Hildebrand, 2003. "Dimensions in elderly travel behaviour: A simplified activity-based model using lifestyle clusters," Transportation, Springer, vol. 30(3), pages 285-306, August.
    9. Ajzen, Icek, 1991. "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 179-211, December.
    10. Mary Douglas & Aaron Wildavsky, 1982. "How Can We Know the Risks We Face? Why Risk Selection Is a Social Process," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 2(2), pages 49-58, June.
    11. Ben D. MacArthur & Richard O. C. Oreffo, 2005. "Bridging the gap," Nature, Nature, vol. 433(7021), pages 19-19, January.
    12. Schwanen, Tim & Banister, David & Anable, Jillian, 2012. "Rethinking habits and their role in behaviour change: the case of low-carbon mobility," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 522-532.
    13. Cristina Pronello & Cristian Camusso, 2011. "Travellers’ profiles definition using statistical multivariate analysis of attitudinal variables," Post-Print halshs-01084027, HAL.
    14. Tommy Gärling & Kay Axhausen, 2003. "Introduction: Habitual travel choice," Transportation, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 1-11, February.
    15. Jensen, Mette, 1999. "Passion and heart in transport -- a sociological analysis on transport behaviour," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 19-33, January.
    16. Steg, Linda, 2005. "Car use: lust and must. Instrumental, symbolic and affective motives for car use," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 39(2-3), pages 147-162.
    17. Tertoolen, Gerard & van Kreveld, Dik & Verstraten, Ben, 1998. "Psychological resistance against attempts to reduce private car use," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 171-181, April.
    18. Anable, Jillian, 2005. "'Complacent Car Addicts' or 'Aspiring Environmentalists'? Identifying travel behaviour segments using attitude theory," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 65-78, January.
    19. Juvan, Emil & Dolnicar, Sara, 2014. "The attitude–behaviour gap in sustainable tourism," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 76-95.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sofia Gomes & João M. Lopes, 2023. "Insights for Pro-Sustainable Tourist Behavior: The Role of Sustainable Destination Information and Pro-Sustainable Tourist Habits," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-17, May.
    2. Aistė Čapienė & Aušra Rūtelionė & Manuela Tvaronavičienė, 2021. "Pro-Environmental and Pro-Social Engagement in Sustainable Consumption: Exploratory Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-20, February.
    3. Jean-Baptiste Gaborieau & Cristina Pronello, 2021. "Validation of a unidimensional and probabilistic measurement scale for pro-environmental behaviour by travellers," Transportation, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 555-593, April.
    4. Amirhossein Pirmoradi & Farahnaz Rostami, 2022. "Farmers’ unsustainable behavior: application of the integrative agent-centered (IAC) framework," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(12), pages 13542-13556, December.
    5. Pinky Kumawat & Cristina Pronello, 2021. "Validating Italian General Ecological Behaviour Questionnaire of Travellers Using Dichotomous Rasch Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-25, October.
    6. Klein, Franziska & Taconet, Nicolas, 2024. "Unequal ‘drivers’: On the inequality of mobility emissions in Germany," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    7. Muhammad Tahir Jan & Ahmed Mohamed Hamed Aly Abouzaid & Nadeem & Tashpia Hossain, 2020. "Is Your Purchase Intention Influenced by Irrational Factors?An Investigation of Fashion Industry," Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets, University of Warsaw, Faculty of Management, vol. 2(11), pages 16-32.
    8. Olawole Fawehinmi & M. Y. Yusliza & Wan Zulkifli Wan Kasim & Zaleha Mohamad & Muhammad Abi Sofian Abdul Halim, 2020. "Exploring the Interplay of Green Human Resource Management, Employee Green Behavior, and Personal Moral Norms," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(4), pages 21582440209, December.
    9. Lena Winslott Hiselius & Annica Kronsell & Christian Dymén & Lena Smidfelt Rosqvist, 2019. "Investigating the Link between Transport Sustainability and the Representation of Women in Swedish Local Committees," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-18, August.
    10. Antonio Borriello & John M. Rose, 2021. "Global versus localised attitudinal responses in discrete choice," Transportation, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 131-165, February.
    11. Jabeen, Fauzia & Dhir, Amandeep & Islam, Nazrul & Talwar, Shalini & Papa, Armando, 2023. "Emotions and food waste behavior: Do habit and facilitating conditions matter?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PB).
    12. Elsie Nasr & Okechukwu Lawrence Emeagwali & Hasan Yousef Aljuhmani & Souha Al-Geitany, 2022. "Destination Social Responsibility and Residents’ Environmentally Responsible Behavior: Assessing the Mediating Role of Community Attachment and Involvement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-26, October.
    13. Aise Kim & Ki Pyung Kim & Tan Hai Dang Nguyen, 2021. "The Green Accommodation Management Practices: The Role of Environmentally Responsible Tourist Markets in Understanding Tourists’ Pro-Environmental Behaviour," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-23, February.
    14. Jesús Manuel López-Bonilla & María del Carmen Reyes-Rodríguez & Luis Miguel López-Bonilla, 2019. "Interactions and Relationships between Personal Factors in Pro-Environmental Golf Tourist Behaviour: A Gender Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-18, December.
    15. Hoffmann, Christin & Abraham, Charles & White, Mathew P. & Skippon, Stephen M., 2020. "Ambivalent about travel mode choice? A qualitative investigation of car user and non-car user attitudes," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 323-338.

    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. Wolf, Ingo & Schröder, Tobias, 2019. "Connotative meanings of sustainable mobility: A segmentation approach using cultural sentiments," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 259-280.
    2. Xuemei Fu & Zhicai Juan, 2016. "Empirical analysis and comparisons about time-allocation patterns across segments based on mode-specific preferences," Transportation, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 37-51, January.
    3. Beirão, Gabriela & Sarsfield Cabral, J.A., 2007. "Understanding attitudes towards public transport and private car: A qualitative study," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(6), pages 478-489, November.
    4. Rico Krueger & Akshay Vij & Taha H. Rashidi, 2018. "Normative beliefs and modality styles: a latent class and latent variable model of travel behaviour," Transportation, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 789-825, May.
    5. Gustav Bösehans & Ian Walker, 2020. "Do supra-modal traveller types exist? A travel behaviour market segmentation using Goal framing theory," Transportation, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 243-273, February.
    6. Xuemei Fu & Zhicai Juan, 2016. "Empirical analysis and comparisons about time-allocation patterns across segments based on mode-specific preferences," Transportation, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 37-51, January.
    7. Edmond Daramy-Williams & Jillian Anable & Susan Grant-Muller, 2019. "Car Use: Intentional, Habitual, or Both? Insights from Anscombe and the Mobility Biography Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-17, December.
    8. Pronello, Cristina & Camusso, Cristian, 2011. "Travellers’ profiles definition using statistical multivariate analysis of attitudinal variables," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 1294-1308.
    9. Davies, Nick, 2012. "What are the ingredients of successful travel behavioural change campaigns?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 19-29.
    10. Ory, David T. & Mokhtarian, Patricia L., 2005. "Don't Work, Work at Home, or Commute? Discrete Choice Models of the Decision for San Francisco Bay Area Residents," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt3dj9c6sd, University of California Transportation Center.
    11. Morris, Eric A., 2015. "Should we all just stay home? Travel, out-of-home activities, and life satisfaction," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 519-536.
    12. Thomas Klinger & Martin Lanzendorf, 2016. "Moving between mobility cultures: what affects the travel behavior of new residents?," Transportation, Springer, vol. 43(2), pages 243-271, March.
    13. Alonso-González, María J. & Hoogendoorn-Lanser, Sascha & van Oort, Niels & Cats, Oded & Hoogendoorn, Serge, 2020. "Drivers and barriers in adopting Mobility as a Service (MaaS) – A latent class cluster analysis of attitudes," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 378-401.
    14. Santoso, Djoen San & Yajima, Masaru & Sakamoto, Kunihiro & Kubota, Hisashi, 2012. "Opportunities and strategies for increasing bus ridership in rural Japan: A case study of Hidaka City," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 320-329.
    15. Bouscasse, H. & Bonnel, P., 2016. "Socio-psychological determinants of mode choice habits," Working Papers 2016-05, Grenoble Applied Economics Laboratory (GAEL).
    16. Cao, Xinyu & Mokhtarian, Patricia L., 2005. "How do individuals adapt their personal travel? Objective and subjective influences on the consideration of travel-related strategies for San Francisco Bay Area commuters," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 291-302, July.
    17. Cao, Xinyu & Mokhtarian, Patricia L., 2005. "How do individuals adapt their personal travel? A conceptual exploration of the consideration of travel-related strategies," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 199-206, May.
    18. Ory, David T. & Mokhtarian, Patricia L., 2005. "When is getting there half the fun? Modeling the liking for travel," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 39(2-3), pages 97-123.
    19. Jia, Ning & Li, Liying & Ling, Shuai & Ma, Shoufeng & Yao, Wang, 2018. "Influence of attitudinal and low-carbon factors on behavioral intention of commuting mode choice – A cross-city study in China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 108-118.
    20. Páez, Antonio & Whalen, Kate, 2010. "Enjoyment of commute: A comparison of different transportation modes," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 44(7), pages 537-549, August.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:7:p:2412-:d:157339. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.