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Travel attitudes or behaviours: Which one changes when they conflict?
Laura McCarthy1, Alexa Delbosc1, Maarten Kroesen2
1Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Transport Studies, Monash University, 23 College Walk, Clayton, VIC 3800 Australia.
Transportation
|October 25, 2021
Summary
Travelers experiencing cognitive dissonance may change their travel behavior or attitudes to align them. This study explores how life events influence this, offering insights for policy interventions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Tourism Studies
Background:
- Growing interest in the discrepancy between travel attitudes and behaviors.
- Travel-related dissonance negatively impacts travel satisfaction.
- Unclear how individuals resolve this dissonance or if life events play a role.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate whether individuals experiencing travel-related dissonance alter attitudes or behaviors.
- Examine the influence of life events on travel-related cognitive dissonance.
- Address gaps in understanding the dynamics of travel attitude-behavior alignment.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study utilizing data from a large, well-designed dataset.
- Exploratory analysis of travel-related cognitive dissonance.
- Examination of changes in segment membership and attitude-behavior adjustments.
Main Results:
- Dissonant travelers are more prone to changing their travel segment membership.
- Individuals adjust either attitudes or behaviors to achieve consonance, aligning with cognitive dissonance theory.
- Life events' interaction with dissonance requires further investigation.
Conclusions:
- Travelers resolve dissonance by changing attitudes, behaviors, or segment membership.
- Policymakers should consider interventions targeting both attitudes and direct behavioral influence.
- Understanding cognitive dissonance is crucial for effective travel policy and marketing.
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