It can be assumed that many people who use the car do this in spite of the fact that they know about it's negative consequences for the environment. Since several years many experts argue that the use of the car in the present form cannot go on for ever. And obviously, many of these arguments are accepted by the public. Nevertheless it is extremely difficult to persuade people to use the car less and instead to choose more environment-friendly alternatives. The authors of this present study wanted to learn about the reasons for this discrepancy between attitude - or even intention - and behaviour. 15 hypotheses about the reasons for the above mentioned discrepancy were established based on reference literature and on several brainstormings in the project team. These hypotheses were tested in 342 in-depth interviews. According to the outcome of the study the following aspects are of good explanatory value with respect to the mentioned discrepancy: a) difficulties with identification with alternative behaviour (walking, cycling, using public means); b) laziness or even egoism; c) habituation and thoughtlessness; d) extra motives for car use; e) lack of feedback for reasonable behaviour (i.e., using the car less); f) repression; and g) overoptimistic assessment of one's own behaviour displayed today. In three round-tables discussions with policy and decision makers, with opinion leaders and with scientists we presented these results very shortly but accentuatedly, and basing on them possibilities of how to change the behaviour with respect to choice of traffic mode were discussed. (A)
Abstract