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Tempest in a teapot: The exaggerated problem of transport-related residential self-selection as a source of error in empirical studies

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  • Naess, Petter

    (Norwegian University of Life Sciences)

Abstract

While numerous studies have investigated influences of built environment characteristics on travel behavior, many scholars are concerned about the confounding effect of residential self-selection. This paper argues that the existence of transport-attitude-based residential self-selection hardly represents any threat to the validity of the basic knowledge on how residential location within urban contexts influences travel behavior. The causal mechanisms by which residential location influences travel behavior exist regardless of whether or not transport-related residential self-selection occurs. Moreover, the cases presented in this paper suggest that residential self-selection based on attitudes to travel is unlikely to represent any great source of error for parameter estimates of the effects of residential location variables on travel behavior as long as “traditional” demographic and socioeconomic variables have already been accounted for. The doubts raised by certain scholars about the implications of attitude-based residential self-selection for the validity of the knowledge base of land use and transportation policies thus appear to be not very well-founded.

Suggested Citation

  • Naess, Petter, 2014. "Tempest in a teapot: The exaggerated problem of transport-related residential self-selection as a source of error in empirical studies," The Journal of Transport and Land Use, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, vol. 7(3), pages 57-79.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:jtralu:0143
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Boukarta Soufiane & Berezowska-Azzag Ewa, 2020. "Exploring the Role of Socio-Economic and Built Environment Driving Factors in Shaping the Commuting Modal Share: A Path-Analysis-Based Approach," Quaestiones Geographicae, Sciendo, vol. 39(4), pages 87-107, December.
    3. Muñiz, Ivan & Sánchez, Vania, 2018. "Urban Spatial Form and Structure and Greenhouse-gas Emissions From Commuting in the Metropolitan Zone of Mexico Valley," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 353-364.
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    5. 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.
    6. Feuillet, T. & Commenges, H. & Menai, M. & Salze, P. & Perchoux, C. & Reuillon, R. & Kesse-Guyot, E. & Enaux, C. & Nazare, J.-A. & Hercberg, S. & Simon, C. & Charreire, H. & Oppert, J.M., 2018. "A massive geographically weighted regression model of walking-environment relationships," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 118-129.
    7. 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.
    8. Adam Millard-Ball & Jeremy West & Nazanin Rezaei & Garima Desai, 2022. "What do residential lotteries show us about transportation choices?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 59(2), pages 434-452, February.
    9. Dimitris Milakis & Dimitrios Efthymiou & Constantinos Antoniou, 2017. "Built Environment, Travel Attitudes and Travel Behaviour: Quasi-Longitudinal Analysis of Links in the Case of Greeks Relocating from US to Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-17, September.
    10. Pot, Felix Johan & Koster, Sierdjan & Tillema, Taede, 2023. "Perceived accessibility and residential self-selection in the Netherlands," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    11. 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.
    12. Arefeh Nasri & Carlos Carrion & Lei Zhang & Babak Baghaei, 2020. "Using propensity score matching technique to address self-selection in transit-oriented development (TOD) areas," Transportation, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 359-371, February.
    13. Ralph, Kelcie & Voulgaris, Carole Turley & Taylor, Brian D. & Blumenberg, Evelyn & Brown, Anne E., 2016. "Millennials, built form, and travel insights from a nationwide typology of U.S. neighborhoods," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 218-226.
    14. Boarnet, Marlon G & Wang, Xize, 2016. "Urban Spatial Structure and the Potential for Vehicle Miles Traveled Reduction," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt03v5r3sr, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    15. Zhao, Juanjuan & Ren, Huan & Gu, Yan & Pan, Haojie, 2023. "Relationships between the residential environment, travel attitude and behaviour among knowledge workers: The role of job types," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    16. Boukarta Soufiane & Berezowska-Azzag Ewa, 2022. "The Influence of Built Environment and Socio-Economic Factors on Commuting Energy Demand: A Path Analysis-Based Approach," Quaestiones Geographicae, Sciendo, vol. 41(4), pages 19-39, December.
    17. 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).
    18. Simora, Michael & Vance, Colin, 2017. "Travel mode and tour complexity: The roles of fuel price and built environment," Ruhr Economic Papers 711, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Self-selection; Causality; Land Use; Travel;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General

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