Explaining stability in travel mode choice: An empirical comparison of two concepts of habit

At least two distinct views on habit have been proposed in the literature: the view of habits as an association between situational cues and a specific behavior, and the view of habits as schemas or generalized scripts applying to a wider range of situations. We compared these concepts on their ability to account (a) for a moderation of the intention–behavior link, and (b) for a stabilization of behavior, in the domain of travel mode choice. In a survey study with 1048 university students, participants recorded their travel mode choice on four standard trips during two 1 week periods 6 months apart. Intention to use public transportation and several measures of habit were recorded for each period. Only the measure related to the associationist view showed the expected moderating effect. Stabilizing effects were found for all measures, but except for the measure related to the associationist view, these cannot be reliably differentiated from ceiling effects. The pattern of results supports the associationist point of view on habits.

► We compared two concepts of habit in a large online survey on travel mode choice.
► We examined cross-sectional moderator effects, and stability of behavior over time.
► Consistent stabilizing effects could be demonstrated for the associationist concept.
► No consistent effects could be demonstrated for the script based concept of habit.
► Substantial further stabilization results from ceiling effects, rather than habit.