Abstract
The present study examined the socio-psychological factors (personality dimensions, motives for car use, and materialistic values) that influence car preference in undergraduate students (N = 383). Preferences for particular car types, properties, and brands were studied. The data indicated only a slight correspondence between the personality dimensions of the Big-Five model and car preference. However, individual motives for car use and materialistic values predict preferences for certain car types and even more for car brands. The results demonstrated a clearly defined group of individuals who prefer cars with high performance. These individuals prefer German cars of “prestigious” brands, such as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. For these individuals, affective motives, as well as materialistic values are important cues for car use and preference. These findings are discussed in terms of more sustainable modes of travel and campaigns to promote sustainable travel modes. The potential value shift from cars as objects that represent personal freedom and identity to more recent mobile technologies, which might play the same role in the younger generation, is discussed.
Highlights
The reduction of CO2 emissions and use of non-renewable resources require the promotion of more sustainable modes of travel
The present study examined the socio-psychological factors that influence car preference in undergraduate students (N = 383)
We examined the socio-psychological factors that influence car type preference in undergraduate students
Summary
The reduction of CO2 emissions and use of non-renewable resources require the promotion of more sustainable modes of travel. Successful campaigns that promote sustainable modes of travel require a deeper understanding of the socio-psychological processes that lead individuals to use cars over other forms of transportation. D. Šefara et al Socio-psychological factors that influence car preference. Cars can represent objects for non-verbal communication of individual achievements and success, as well as identities and social positions (Gatersleben 2014). For many drivers, driving a car has an affective value because driving can elicit pleasant feelings of thrill and excitement (Steg et al 2001). There is a popular belief that car preference could reflect the behaviour, personality traits, and individual characteristics of the driver
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