Abstract
A methodological challenge is to develop methods which satisfy the need in transport planning of accurately forecasting travel behavior. Drawing on a review of the current state of attitude theory, it is argued that successfully forecasting travel behavior relies on a distinction between planned, habitual, and impulsive travel. Empirical illustrations are provided in the form of stated-response data from two experiments investigating the validity of an interactive interview procedure to predict household car use for different types of trips, either before or after participants were required to reduce use.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ajzen I (1985) From intentions to actions: A theory of planned behavior. In: Kuhl J & Beckmann J (eds) Action-Control: From Cognition to Behavior (pp 11-39). Heidelberg: Springer.
Ajzen I (1987) Attitudes, traits, and actions: Dispositional prediction of behavior in personality and social psychology. In: Berkowitz L (ed) Advances in Experimental Social Psychology (Vol 20 pp 1-63). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Ajzen I (1988) Attitudes, Personality, and Behavior. Milton Keyes, UK: Open University Press.
Ajzen I (1991) The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 50: 179-211.
Ajzen I & Fishbein M (1977) Attitude-behavior relations: A theoretical analysis and review of empirical research. Psychological Bulletin 84: 888-918.
Ajzen I & Fishbein M (1980) Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Ajzen I & Madden TJ (1986) Prediction of goal-directed behavior: Attitudes, intentions, and perceived behavioral control. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 22: 453-474.
Bagozzi RP (1992) The self-regulation of attitudes, intentions and behavior. Social Psychology Quarterly 55: 178-204.
Bentler PM & Speckart G (1979) Models of attitude-behavior relations. Psychological Review 86: 452-464.
Bentler PM & Speckart G (1981) Attitudes “cause” behaviors: A structural equation analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 4: 226-238.
Dawes RM & Smith TL (1985) Attitude and opinion measurement. In: RP Abelson & A Levy (eds) Handbook of Social Psychology (Vol 1 pp 509-566). New York: Random House.
Eagly AH & Chaiken S (1993) The Psychology of Attitudes. Fort Worth, FL: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Ettema D, Borgers A & Timmermans H (1993) A simulation model of activity scheduling behavior. Transportation Research Record 1493: 101-109.
Ettema D, Borgers A & Timmermans H (1994) Using interactive computer experiments for identifying scheduling heuristics. Paper presented at the 7th international conference on travel behavior, Valle Nevado, Santiago, Chile.
Fishbein M & Ajzen I (1974) Attitudes towards objects as predictors of single and multiple behavior criteria. Psychological Review 81: 59-74.
Fishbein M & Ajzen I (1975) Belief, Attitude, Intention, and Behavior: An Introduction to Theory and Research. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Fredricks AJ & Dossett DL (1983) Attitude-behavior relations: A comparison of the Fishbein-Ajzen and the Bentler-Speckart models. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 45: 501-512.
Gärling T (1992a) Determinants of everyday time allocation. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 33: 160-169.
Gärling T (1992b) The importance of routines for the performance of everyday activities. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 33: 170-177.
Gärling T & Garvill J (1993) Psychological explanations of participation in everyday activities. In: T Gärling & RG Golledge (eds) Behavior and Environment: Psychological and Geographical Approaches (pp 270-297). Amsterdam: Elsevier/North-Holland.
Gärling T, Ettema D, Gillholm R & Selart M (1995) Towards a theory of the intention-behavior relationship with implications for the prediction of travel behavior. Paper presented at the 7th world conference on transport research, Sydney, Australia.
Gärling T & Marell A (1992) Bilhushålls strategier för att reducera bilresande (Households' strategies for reducing automobile travel). Technical Report #2, Transportation Research Unit, Umeå University.
Gollwitzer PM (1990) Action phases and mind-sets. In: ET Higgins & RM Sorrentino (eds) Handbook of Motivation and Cognition: Foundations of Social Behavior (Vol 2 pp 3-52). New York: Guilford Press.
Gollwitzer PM (1993) Goal achievement: The role of intentions. European Review of Social Psychology 4: 141-185.
Gollwitzer PM & Kinney RF (1989) Effects of deliberative and implemental mind-sets on illusion of control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 56: 531-542.
Gollwitzer PM, Heckhausen H & Steller B (1990) Deliberative and implemental mind-sets: Cognitive tuning toward congruous thoughts and information. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 59: 1119-1127.
Golob TF, Horowitz AD & Wachs M (1979) Attitude-behavior relationships in travel demand modelling. In: DA Hensher & PR Stopher (eds) Behavioral Travel Demand Modelling (pp 739-757). London: Croom Helm.
Goodwin P, Kitamura R & Meurs H (1990) Some principles of dynamic analysis of travel behaviour. In: PM Jones (ed) Developments of Dynamic and Activity-Based Approaches to Travel Analysis (pp 56-72). Aldershot, UK: Gower.
Hayes-Roth B & Hayes-Roth F (1979) A cognitive model of planning. Cognitive Science 3: 275-310.
Hensher D (1994) Stated preference analysis of travel choices: The state of practice. Transportation 21: 107-133.
Jones P M (1979) HATS: A technique for investigating household decisions. Environment and Planning A 11: 59-70.
Jones P M, Bradley M & Ampt ES (1989) Forecasting household response to policy measures using computerised, activity-based stated preference techniques. In: Travel Behavior Research (pp 41-63). Aldershot, UK: Gower.
Koppelman F & Lyon PK (1981) Attitudinal analysis of work/school travel. Transportation Science 15: 233-254.
Kraus SJ (1995) Attitudes and the prediction of behavior: A meta-analysis of the empirical literature. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 21: 58-75.
Lee-Gosselin M (1989) In-depth research on life style and household car use under future conditions in Canada. In: Travel Behavior Research (pp 102-118). Aldershot, UK: Gower.
Lee-Gosselin M (1990) The dynamics of car use patterns under different scenarios: A gaming approach. In: PM Jones (ed) Developments of Dynamic and Activity-Based Approaches to Travel Analysis (pp 250-271). Aldershot, UK: Gower.
Lee-Gosselin M (1996) Scope and potential of Interactive Stated Response data collection methods, in: Household Travel Surveys: New Concepts and Research Needs, Conference Proceedings 10, Transportation Research Board, Washington DC
Levin IP & Louviere JJ (1981) Psychological contributions to travel demand modeling. In: I Altman & J Wohlwill (eds) Human Behavior and Environment (Vol 5 pp 29-61). New York: Plenum Press.
Louviere JJ (1988a) Analyzing decision making: Metric conjoint analysis. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Louviere JJ (1988b) Conjoint analysis modelling of stated preferences. Journal of Transport Economy and Policy 22: 93-119
Netemeyer RG, Burton S & Johnston M (1991) A comparison of two models for the prediction of volitional and goal-directed behaviors: A conformatory analysis approach. Social Psychology Quarterly 54: 87-100.
Pas E (1990) Is travel demand analysis and modelling in the doldrums? In: PM Jones (ed) Developments of Dynamic and Activity-Based Approaches to Travel Analysis (pp 3-27). Aldershot, UK: Gower.
Richardson AJ, Ampt ES & Meyburg AH (1995) Survey Methods for Transport Planning. Melbourne, Australia: Eucalyptus Press.
Ronis DL, Yates JF & Kirscht JP (1989) Attitudes, decisions, and habits as determinants of repeated behavior. In: AR Pratkanis, SJ Breckler & AG Greenwald (eds) Attitude Structure and Function (pp 213-239). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Schifter DE & Ajzen I (1985) Intention, perceived control, and weight loss: An application of the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 49: 843-851.
Sheppard BH, Hartwick J & Warshaw PR (1988) The theory of reasoned action: A meta-analysis of past research with recommendations for modifications and future research. Journal of Consumer Research 15: 325-343.
Sudman S & Bradburn NM (1986) Asking Questions: A Practical Guide to Questionnaire Design. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Timmermans HPJ & Golledge R G (1990) Applications of behavioral research on spatial problems II: Preference and choice. Progress in Human Geography 14: 311-354.
Triandis HC (1977) Interpersonal Behavior. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Verplanken B, Aarts H, Van Knippenberg A & Van Knippenberg C (1994) Attitude versus general habit: Antecedents of travel mode choice. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 24: 285-300.
Warshaw PR & Davis FD (1985) Disentangling behavioral intention and behavioral expectation. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 21: 213-228.
Wicker AW (1969) Attitudes versus actions: The relationship of verbal and overt behavioral responses to attitude objects. Journal of Social Issues 24: 41-77.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gärling, T., Gillholm, R. & Gärling, A. Reintroducing attitude theory in travel behavior research: The validity of an interactive interview procedure to predict car use. Transportation 25, 129–146 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005004311776
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005004311776