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Social Determinants, Motivation, and Communication: How People Perceive and Choose Sustainable Mobility at a Local Level in Portugal

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  • Lurdes Jesus Ferreira

    (CeiiA—Centre of Engineering and Development Avenida D. Afonso Henriques 1825, 4450-017 Matosinhos, Portugal)

  • Jieling Liu

    (Institute of Social Sciences, University of Lisbon, Avenida Professor Aníbal de Bettencourt 9, 1600-189 Lisboa, Portugal)

Abstract

Research on solutions for climate change in the urban transport sector has focused primarily on the technological and spatial planning perspectives; the social dimension of behavioral changes is relatively less explored, particularly in the southern European small city context. In this paper, we examine how social determinants and two other endogenous factors—motivation and knowledge—influence sustainable mobility choices in Portugal, through a case study of a city micro-mobility pilot, using the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and the Social Information Processing Theory (SIPT) as an analytical framework, and mix-method analysis from questionnaires, in-depth individual interviews, and other information collected throughout the pilot program. Motivation, as we found, was the strongest factor that contributed to comprehension, leading to a primarily positive attitude change towards pro-environmental behavior. Our research emphasizes the importance of mechanisms that stimulate citizens’ motivation and facilitate communication in sustainability pilot programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Lurdes Jesus Ferreira & Jieling Liu, 2023. "Social Determinants, Motivation, and Communication: How People Perceive and Choose Sustainable Mobility at a Local Level in Portugal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-19, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:18:p:13294-:d:1233167
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    References listed on IDEAS

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