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Reconsidering the nature and effects of habits in urban transportation behavior

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  • Olivier Brette

    (EVS - Environnement, Ville, Société - ENS de Lyon - École normale supérieure de Lyon - Mines Saint-Étienne MSE - École des Mines de Saint-Étienne - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris] - UL2 - Université Lumière - Lyon 2 - UJML - Université Jean Moulin - Lyon 3 - Université de Lyon - INSA Lyon - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon - Université de Lyon - INSA - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées - UJM - Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne - ENTPE - École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État - ENSAL - École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Lyon - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - ALLHiS - Approches Littéraires, Linguistiques et Historiques des Sources - UJM - Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne)

  • Thomas Buhler

    (Chercheur indépendant)

  • Nathalie Lazaric

    (GREDEG - Groupe de Recherche en Droit, Economie et Gestion - UNS - Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UniCA - Université Côte d'Azur)

  • Kevin Maréchal

    (ULB - Université libre de Bruxelles)

Abstract

This article adds to the growing empirical evidence on the importance of habits in governing human behavior, and sheds new light on individual inertia in relation to transportation behavior. An enriched perspective rooted in Veblenian evolutionary economics (VEE) is used to construct a theoretical framework in order to analyze the processes at play in the formation and reinforcement of habits. The empirical study explores more specifically the synchronic processes strengthening the car-using habit. In addition to underlining the shortcomings of a 'decision theory' perspective to address urban transportation behaviors, we find that synchronic habits can have a significant effect on behavioral inertia. Our results suggest the existence of positive feedback between the development of synchronic habits, qualitative perceptions of driving times, and reinforcement of the car-using habit. The paper points out also that the diachronic dimension of habits would constitute another promising domain for further research on behavioral inertia in transportation

Suggested Citation

  • Olivier Brette & Thomas Buhler & Nathalie Lazaric & Kevin Maréchal, 2014. "Reconsidering the nature and effects of habits in urban transportation behavior," Post-Print halshs-01070028, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-01070028
    DOI: 10.1017/S1744137414000149
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-01070028v1
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    3. Steve Fleetwood, 2021. "A definition of habit for socio-economics," Review of Social Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 79(2), pages 131-165, April.
    4. Olivier Brette & Nathalie Lazaric & Victor Vieira da Silva, 2017. "Habit, decision making, and rationality : comparing Veblen and early Herbert Simon," Post-Print halshs-01310305, HAL.
    5. Brendan Markey-Towler, 2018. "A formal psychological theory for evolutionary economics," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 691-725, September.
    6. Bäuerle, Max Juri, 2022. "Striving for low-carbon lifestyles: An analysis of the mobility patterns of different urban household types with regard to emissions reductions in a real-world lab experiment in Berlin," Discussion Papers, Research Group Digital Mobility and Social Differentiation SP III 2022-601, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    7. Le Boennec, Rémy & Nicolaï, Isabelle & Da Costa, Pascal, 2019. "Assessing 50 innovative mobility offers in low-density areas: A French application using a two-step decision-aid method," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 13-25.
    8. Hongyan Dai & Ling Ge & Yali Liu, 2020. "Information Matters: an Empirical Study of the Efficiency of On-Demand Services," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 815-827, August.
    9. Schall, Dominik L. & Wolf, Menas & Mohnen, Alwine, 2016. "Do effects of theoretical training and rewards for energy-efficient behavior persist over time and interact? A natural field experiment on eco-driving in a company fleet," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 291-300.
    10. Kevin Marechal, 2018. "Recasting the Understanding of Habits for Behaviour-Oriented Policies in Transportation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-14, March.
    11. Schall, Dominik L. & Mohnen, Alwine, 2017. "Incentivizing energy-efficient behavior at work: An empirical investigation using a natural field experiment on eco-driving," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1757-1768.
    12. Kevin Maréchal, 2018. "Recasting the understanding of habits for behaviour-oriented policies in transportation," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/270475, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Transportation Issues; Choice; Habits;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Modern Monetary Theory;
    • D01 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles
    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General
    • R49 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Other

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