Social Dilemmas and Transportation Decisions

This thesis advances a social dilemma approach to analyze decisions to commute by car versus public transportation or carpooling. Based on interdependence theory and the extant social dilemma literature, it is assumed that the individual decision to commute by car versus public transportation (or carpool) is not only shaped by the immediate, self-interested concerns of the individual, which are likely to lead to a preference for the car, but also by the broader motives and concerns of individuals in the decision situation (such as pro-social and pro environmental considerations). The process whereby people tend to respond to the broader implication of their behaviour is referred to as transformation of motivation, and this process may be instigated by various (inter)personal factors. On the basis of this assumption, five experiments are conducted - utilizing different research paradigms including a laboratory and field-study - which are reported in greater detail. (A)