Would you feel good sitting there? Psychological stress and social control in public transportation priority seating

In aging societies, priority seating arrangements aim to improve accessibility for vulnerable groups, such as the older adults and individuals with disabilities. However, their unintended psychological effects and social control on “ordinary” travelers remain understudied. This study examines how stress and social control shape priority seating use in Hong Kong’s metro system. Situated in Hong Kong’s transit-oriented city, this research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining a stated-preference experiment, a mixed-logit discrete choice model, and semi-structured interviews. Findings from 319 participants reveal a strong aversion among “non-eligible” passengers to choosing priority seats. This avoidance is particularly pronounced among younger individuals with higher stress levels and frequent metro users. Younger passengers are significantly less likely to use priority seating, likely due to anticipated scrutiny or concerns about having to justify their condition. In contrast, older passengers are more likely to occupy these seats with little reported hesitation, reflecting age-based entitlement norms that appear to reduce situational stress for some while increasing it for others. At the same time, longer travel durations are associated with a higher likelihood of using priority seating, suggesting that practical necessity can sometimes outweigh social discomfort. Follow-up interviews (N = 17) further illustrate how cultural expectations and perceived social surveillance subtly shape seating behavior, reinforcing self-regulation that deters younger passengers from using priority seats. These findings suggest that priority seating functions not only as an accessibility measure but also as a psychologically mediated social space. This study underscores the need for transportation policies that not only promote inclusivity but also address the social and psychological impacts of priority seating arrangements, emphasizing that age-friendly cities should consider the diverse needs and experiences of passengers across the life course.