Walking and Walkability in Delhi: Dissonance between Environmental Perception and Behavior

Abstract

Prior research on perceived walkability finds generally positive associations between walkability, walking behavior, and well-being. However, these relationships are little examined in the Global South, particularly in locations with significant environmental stressors. This study examined relationships between perceived walkability, walking behavior, and subjective well-being, using a survey of residents in two neighborhoods in Delhi, India. In particular, it examined whether perceived walkability covaried with walking behavior under conditions of environmental stress, and how walking and perceptions of the walking environment affected subjective well-being. Following a descriptive examination of mobility and perceptions, the concept of “walking dissonance” was empirically operationalized, a condition in which individuals walk frequently despite negative perceptions of walkability. Multivariate linear regression assessed the relationship between walking dissonance and subjective well-being, controlling for other factors. The results showed that in these neighborhoods, perceptions of low environmental quality were associated with perceptions of poor walking conditions. Nevertheless, walking behavior did not consistently correlate with these perceptions. Conflict between walking perceptions and behavior may be associated with impacts to well-being that should concern decision makers investing in transportation infrastructure and the built environment.