The car is not just a functional commodity, it also fulfils `deeper' needs such as those linked to a striving for power, status and sensation. This article examines the results of research methods developed to explore the affective motives underlying car usage. A study was made of the aspects of car usage that are deemed to be attractive and unattractive, and of the dimensions underlying comparisons and judgements relating to the attractiveness/unattractiveness of various situation descriptions and issues relating to car usage. Three research methods were developed and tested varying from an intuitive sorting task to an explicit assessment task: the `episode cognition' method, the Q-sort method, and the semantic differential method. From the results, it became apparent that the research method employed has a bearing on what are termed the attractive or unattractive aspects of car usage. The affective motives for car usage are viewed as being more attractive when the object of the research exercise is not immediately obvious to the respondent. Most group differences were found with regard to the judgements of the affective motives for car use. It is concluded that the instrumental and the affective value of car usage are both important dimensions underlying opinions on the attractiveness of car usage. (A)
Abstract