Page 186 - Proceeding of Atrans Young Researcher's Forum 2019_Neat

“Transportation for A Better Life:
Smart Mobility for Now and Then”

23 August 2019, Bangkok, Thailand

(TRA) and Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) can carpoolers). The maintain stage refers to the stage
be used to explain the decision making process . whereby individuals habitually perform the
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Fig. 1 depicts the constructs of TRA and TPB. TRA behaviour. At this stage, the measures related to
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suggests that behaviour is considered as the result of habit automaticity suggested by Wood and Rünger
intention to perform the behaviour. This intention is and Verplanken and Orbell may be used to separate
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indeed closely related to preferences. It has two this stage from the formation stage. This suggests
determinants. One is the attitude towards the that habitual carpoolers should show more habit
behaviour which refers to a person’s automaticity than early carpoolers. In another way
favourable/unfavourable evaluation of the behaviour around, habitual carpoolers should show less
while another is subjective norms which refers to the intention and goal pursuit than early carpoolers.
perceived social pressure to perform or not perform Three hypotheses can be derived as follows:
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the behaviour . In TPB, perceived behavioural
control which refers to the perceived ability to H1: Early carpoolers show higher intention to
perform the behaviour is introduced as another participate in carpooling than others;
determinant of intention and the target behaviour. H2: Early carpoolers show higher level of goal
The intention in TPB thus includes the goal pursuit pursue than others;
that helps an individual consistently perform the H3: Habitual carpoolers show higher level of habit
target behavior . automaticity than others.
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2.4 Psychology of Habit For non-carpoolers, there should be three
TRA and TBP assume that travel mode different groups: 1) the not-interest stage which
choices are made consciously with rational decisions refers to travellers who indicate no interest in
but in everyday life individuals are not constantly carpooling 2) the interest stage which refers to
conscious of their behaviour 20,24 . As a behaviour is travellers who indicate interest in carpooling but
performed many times, it becomes a habit and is no have not been carpoolers and 3) the discontinuance
longer based on rational decisions 20,24 . Wood and stage which refers to travellers who were carpoolers
Rünger suggested that habits develop as but now have stopped carpooling. Two criteria are
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individuals pursue life goals. While individuals used in this separation: attitude-intention and
repeatedly pursue goals, they experience context experiences of carpooling.
cues and actions that lead to goal attainments and Regarding to attitude-intention, it was found
outcomes (rewards) from achieving the goals. This that commuters who indicate interest in carpooling
repetition creates “the learning of context-response (i.e. the advantages of carpool compared to other
associations” so that the behaviour becomes a modes) were associated with positive attitudes
“default mode of response” or habit automaticity towards carpooling 17,28 . This can be explained by
(p.11.1, ref.25). Habit automaticity has two features: TRA as follows. TRA suggests that attitudes toward
1) “activation by recurring context cues” and 2) an object in question (i.e. carpooling) are influenced
“insensitivity to short-term changes in goals” and by the beliefs about the object and these beliefs link
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“changes in the value of response outcomes and the with the outcomes incurred by the behaviour . As
response-outcome contingency” (p.11.4, ref.25). As individuals perceive more positive outcomes, they
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behaviour becomes habit, it needs little guidance tend to engage in the behaviour . In other words, as
from intention and goal pursuit. To breakdown individuals believe that carpooling provides benefits
habits is to change the environment that activates the rather than costs, they show positive attitude towards
old context cues or to motivate individuals to engage carpooling and indicate interest in it. Besides,
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in other deliberate goal pursuits . Clark et al. commuters with positive attitude towards carpooling
indicated that commuters were more likely to change also showed higher intention to participate in
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commuting behaviour as they change their carpooling . However, as intention is the mediator
workplace or moved home. between attitude and behaviour, having a positive
From these, it can be concluded that current attitude may not sufficient to induce the behaviour.
carpoolers can be separated into early carpoolers This suggests that travellers at the interest stage
who are at the formation stage and habitual should show positive attitudes towards carpooling
carpoolers who are at the maintain stage. The and may show higher intention to perform
formation stage thus refers to the stage that carpooling than those in the not-interest stage and
individuals initially adopt behaviour (i.e. earlier

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