Social Environmental Variables Research Articles

Assessment of psychological, social cognitive and perceived environmental influences on children's active transport to school

IntroductionIn recent years, there has been growing interest in studies integrating social cognitive and environmental variables as predictors of active transport to school (ATS). However, a theoretical model of associations between children's ATS and these variables has not been well established. The aims of this study were (1) to develop and test a model which conceptualized relationships between children's ATS and psychological, social cognitive and perceived environments; and (2) to assess direct effects among these variables. MethodsData were drawn from the ProATs, a cross-sectional study conducted with 1189 children aged 9–12 years from 11 primary schools in Huesca, Spain between January and June 2018. A child self-reported questionnaire was used to measure sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex), school travel mode (ATS: walking, cycling; non-ATS: by car, by motorcycle, by bus), and social cognitive and perceived environments. The social cognitive environment was measured based on four constructs of the theory of planned behavior (intention, attitude, social norm, perceived behavioural control), and three constructs of the basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) in the self-determination theory. The perceived environment was assessed through the security and accessibility of neighborhood environmental barriers to ATS. A structural equation modelling technique was utilised to examine direct effects of social cognitive and perceived environments on ATS. ResultsThe model achieved acceptable fit, explaining 48% of the variance of children's ATS. Perceived behavioural control was the strongest predictor of intention, and influenced by autonomy, competence and the perceived environment. ConclusionsSocial cognitive and perceived environments played important roles in predicting children's ATS. Future interventions might consider strategies to increase perceptions of autonomy, competence and behavioural control along with strategies aimed to foster more positive perceptions of the built environment.

Neighborhood social environment and disability among Mexican older adults: a cohort-based analysis.

Considering that the world population is rapidly aging and disability is a very frequent event in older adults, there is an increasing interest in studying their determinants, such as the neighborhood characteristics. Thus, this study aimed to explore the association between the social environment of the neighborhood and disability in older adults. A cohort study was assembled using waves 1 and 2 from the Study of Global Ageing and Adults Health (SAGE) in Mexico, which included adults with 55+ years old. Neighborhood characteristics - such as social participation, trust and safety - and individual covariates were measured only in wave 1 (baseline), while disability was measured in both waves to adjust for the score of wave 1. Multilevel negative binomial models with random intercepts at the municipality level were constructed for the disability score in wave 2, using each of the social environment variables as the main exposure and adjusting for the sociodemographic and health-related variables. Finally, interaction terms with sex, age, and socioeconomic quintiles were tested. Results showed that neighborhoods with a medium (IRR: 0.68; 95%CI: 0.53-0.87) or high (IRR: 0.67; 95%CI: 0.52-0.86) safety level were associated with a significant reduction in the disability score of adults older than 75 years, although there was no association between other characteristics of the social environment and disability in the general sample. Consequently, actions to improve safety in the neighborhoods should be carried out to help reduce the disability score in vulnerable older adults, especially in a context where safety is a critical issue, as in Mexico.

Parental and peer support and modelling in relation to domain-specific physical activity participation in boys and girls from Germany.

Physical activity (PA) as a precondition of child development is related with social environmental correlates. However, domain-specific PA and gender issues have been neglected in studies on social support and modelling and PA in school-aged children. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships of parental and peer modelling and social support with domain-specific PA participation in a large sample of school-aged children, taking gender into account. 3,505 school children aged 6 to 17 years old participated in the German nationwide 'MoMo' cohort-study. By using the MoMo-PAQ the participants and their parents provided self-report data on perceived social support and social modelling and domain-specific PA participation. Relationships of social environmental variables and the physical outcomes were analysed by logistic regression analyses. At secondary school level, girls were less likely than boys to participate in physical activity in and outside of sports clubs, extra-curricular physical activity and in outdoor play (p < 0.05), but at primary school level this pattern only applied to club sport (p < 0.01). Girls also received less social support than boys (p < 0.01). Physical activity participation in all domains was associated with any of the social support and modelling variables and differences between physical activity domains and between boys and girls occurred. Most consistently physical activity in sports clubs was related with the social environmental correlates in boys (primary school: R2 = 0.60; secondary school: R2 = 0.45) and girls (primary school: R2 = 0.53; secondary school: R2 = 0.47). In future, reciprocal relationships of social environmental variables and PA should be considered in longitudinal studies to obtain insights into the direction of the associations. Furthermore, interventions encompassing the social environment and focussed particularly on the promotion of domain-specific PA in girls in secondary school-age are warranted.

Experimental Analysis of Wind Interaction with Olive Grove and the Atmospheric Surface Boundary Layer

The emblematic olive grove covers 17% of the South Spain territory. Last years, intensive farming has been developed around its exploitation. This causes many environmental and social problems, ecological interactions and environmental variables are modified, accentuating the climate change effects. The aim of this work is optimize the layout to allow a sustainable agricultural production, adapting the exploitation to the climate change and minimizing alterations over environmental variables. Thus, interaction between the Surface Boundary Layer (SBL) and olive groves has been analyzed experimentally. Wind tunnel reduced-scale tests were carried out for different setups: grid with homogeneous tree models, over a flat surface and over a hill, and simulating different vegetation covers. The same tests were replicated with staggered pattern and heterogeneous tree models. Wind velocity and turbulence kinetic energy profiles were obtained using Hot Wire Anemometry, taking measurements between models and behind them. It has been proved that olive grove spatial layout and the presence or absence of vegetation cover modify the SBL dynamics. Consequently, not only fundamental environmental variables are altered, for example, the moisture flux and the evapotranspiration, but also important variables for human health are modified, as pollen flow dispersion to urban areas.Keywords: Olive grove, environmental management, sustainability, wind tunnel

Psychological Response to a False Positive Ovarian Cancer Screening Test Result: Distinct Distress Trajectories and Their Associated Characteristics.

Routine screening for ovarian cancer (OC) can yield an abnormal result later deemed benign. Such false positive (FP) results have been shown to trigger distress, which generally resolves over time. However, women might differ in the trajectory of the distress experience. Women participating in a routine OC screening program (n = 373) who received an abnormal screening result completed a baseline assessment prior to a follow-up screening test to clarify the nature of their abnormal result. All women were subsequently informed that no malignancy was present, and follow-up assessments were completed one and four months post-baseline. Demographic, clinical, dispositional (optimism, monitoring), and social environmental (social constraint, social support) variables were assessed at baseline. OC-specific distress was assessed at all three assessments. Trajectory analyses identified three distress trajectories differing in the baseline level of distress. A high decreasing trajectory, representing about 25% of women, was characterized by high levels of distress at baseline with distress declining over time, but still elevated at four-month follow-up. In contrast, a no distress trajectory group, representing about 30% of women, was characterized by essentially no distress at any time point. Principal risk factors for membership in the high decreasing trajectory group included a family history of OC, lower dispositional optimism, and greater social constraint. These risk factors could be used to target resources efficiently towards managing women at risk for potentially clinically-significant distress after receipt of an FP OC screening test.

Pengaruh Efikasi Diri Dan Pendidikan Terhadap Intensi Kewirausahaan Dengan Lingkungan Sosial Sebagai Variabel Moderasi

This study aims to determine the effect of self efficacy and education on the intention of entrepreneurship with social environment as a moderation variable. Methods of data collection using questionnaires. The respondents of this research are students of Faculty of Economics University Tarumanagara. The study was conducted in May 2018. The method of data analysis using multiple regression with the moderation variable. The results of the study conclude that self efficacy and education have a positive effect on the intention of entrepreneurship. Social environment variables deserve to be a moderation variable because there is an effect of self efficacy and education on the intention of entrepreneurship moderated by social environment..

Inflammation mediates the effect of discrimination, religiosity, and friendship network on expression of the Tp53 cancer suppressor gene.

ObjectiveChronic inflammation and expression of the TP53 gene are two biomarkers that have been identified as particularly important in the etiology and progression of cancer. While much is known about the determinants of inflammation, there is currently little information regarding the causes of variation in the functioning of TP53, even though it has been recognized for 40 years as the most potent of the cancer suppressor genes. The current paper explores the interrelationship between these two biomarkers and investigates the extent to which they are influenced by the social environment.MethodsUsing structural equation modeling (SEM) and longitudinal observational data from a sample of several hundred African Americans, we tested the hypothesis that adversity – operationalized as racial discrimination- and coping resources – operationalized as religiosity and black friends - influence expression of TP53, for better or worse, through their impact on inflammation.ResultsCorrelational analysis showed inflammation and TP53 to be inversely related. Further, discrimination was positively related to inflammation and negatively related to TP53 expression, whereas religiosity and black friends were both negatively related to inflammation and positively related to TP53 expression. Finally, SEM indicated that the effect of the social environmental variables on TP53 expression was indirect through level of inflammation.ConclusionsIn addition to its established contribution to cancer through DNA damage and cell proliferation, inflammation likely increases cancer risk indirectly by inhibiting expression of the TP53 cancer suppressor gene. Hence environmental and stress management interventions may do more than reduce inflammation's cell damaging effects; they may also lessen the chances of cancer by increasing expression of TP53.

Personal and environmental drivers of resident participation in urban public woodland management – A longitudinal study

Woodlands are a core component of urban green infrastructure in terms of both ecosystem service provision and areal cover, with particular relevance and potential for engaging citizens in co-management approaches. Despite widespread agreement on the importance of user participation, there is still a lack of comprehensive knowledge on the underlying drivers. Extending existing knowledge is important for efforts by local authorities to facilitate and sustain participation. The present longitudinal mixed-method study investigated residents’ drivers for participating in the management of urban woodland bordering their gardens in a so-called co‐management zone in the Danish residential area Sletten, Holstebro. Repeated field surveys of physical signs of participation were combined with a field survey of woodland vegetation characteristics and demographic data on residents. Mixed generalised linear modelling was performed to identify the dominant personal, physical environmental and social environmental variables explaining level of resident participation. The statistical analysis was complemented by interviews with residents. Both personal and environmental drivers explained participation. Interest in gardening, stand height and residents inspiring their neighbours helped explain participation in 2010, while increase in participation between 2010 and 2015 was supported by forest edge type and length of residence. Thus, a stronger focus on the temporal dimension is recommended for future studies. Green space managers wanting to facilitate co-management can encourage participation by identifying people interested in gardening who inspire others, combined with strategic woodland vegetation design and management aimed at increasing visual and physical accessibility, i.e. establishing one-step and semi-open forest edges and sufficient tree height.

The influence of built, natural and social environment on physical activity among adults and elderly in southern Brazil: a population-based study.

This study investigated the association of built, natural and social environment variables with the practice of physical activity (PA) during leisure time and commuting. Household interviews were carried out with a representative sample of individuals aged 18years or older from a municipality in southern Brazil. PA was measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and households were georeferenced with a 500-m buffer. Few associations between environmental variables and PA practice were identified. Only proximity to the seafront, presence of private gyms or sports clubs and higher average monthly income of the household head were associated with the practice of PA. In addition, there were inconsistencies in the findings showing that the associations varied based on the intensity and modality of PA within the same domain. This study provides evidence on the lack of association between objective environmental measures and the practice of PA. Although there were few significant results and the presence of inconsistencies in the findings, some environmental variables were associated with a more frequent practice of PA.

Analytical Model for the Change of Travel Time Savings With Waiting Time and Service Level

An extended classical time allocation model with travel time reliability constraint is proposed in this study. The valuation function of travel time savings is deduced, and the relationship between the value of travel time savings and other social environment variables, especially the waiting time and service level, is revealed. Meanwhile, the change of the value of travel time savings with the waiting time and the service level is investigated through a comparative static analysis method. Analytical results show that the change of the value of travel time savings with the service level is dependent on the inverse of the cumulative distribution function. By contrast, the value of travel time savings tends to decrease with the increase in waiting time. The findings further imply that adopting the optimal head start can relieve the waiting time of urban commuters, thereby minimizing their generalized travel cost. Moreover, the values of service headway and reliability are analyzed, which can improve the quality of service toward either frequency or reliability improvements to reduce the cost for the society.

Building a Data Platform for Cross-Country Urban Health Studies: the SALURBAL Study

Studies examining urban health and the environment must ensure comparability of measures across cities and countries. We describe a data platform and process that integrates health outcomes together with physical and social environment data to examine multilevel aspects of health across cities in 11 Latin American countries. We used two complementary sources to identify cities with ≥ 100,000 inhabitants as of 2010 in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru. We defined cities in three ways: administratively, quantitatively from satellite imagery, and based on country-defined metropolitan areas. In addition to “cities,” we identified sub-city units and smaller neighborhoods within them using census hierarchies. Selected physical environment (e.g., urban form, air pollution and transport) and social environment (e.g., income, education, safety) data were compiled for cities, sub-city units, and neighborhoods whenever possible using a range of sources. Harmonized mortality and health survey data were linked to city and sub-city units. Finer georeferencing is underway. We identified 371 cities and 1436 sub-city units in the 11 countries. The median city population was 234,553 inhabitants (IQR 141,942; 500,398). The systematic organization of cities, the initial task of this platform, was accomplished and further ongoing developments include the harmonization of mortality and survey measures using available sources for between country comparisons. A range of physical and social environment indicators can be created using available data. The flexible multilevel data structure accommodates heterogeneity in the data available and allows for varied multilevel research questions related to the associations of physical and social environment variables with variability in health outcomes within and across cities. The creation of such data platforms holds great promise to support researching with greater granularity the field of urban health in Latin America as well as serving as a resource for the evaluation of policies oriented to improve the health and environmental sustainability of cities.

Associations between perceived social and physical environmental variables and physical activity and screen time among adolescents in four European countries.

Associations between the perceived social and physical environment and self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and screen time (ST) were examined among adolescents in four European countries. Representative samples were surveyed with standardised methodologies. Associations between environmental variables and meeting MVPA recommendations and tertiles of ST were tested in gender-specific logistic regression models. Moderation by country and country-specific relationships were also examined. The most consistent findings across countries were found for the significant associations between neighbourhood social environment and MVPA in both boys and girls. Significant associations with the physical environment varied more between countries and by gender. The most consistent negative associations with ST were found for the social environmental variable of having parental rules for spending time outside the home. The present findings provided evidence for the generalisability of the associations between environmental correlates and MVPA across four European countries. The findings show clear differences in correlates for MVPA and ST. Further research is needed to better understand the unique aspects of the social and physical environment which explain each of the two behaviours.

Fission-fusion dynamics as a temporally and spatially flexible behavioral strategy in spider monkeys

Fission-fusion dynamics (FFD) encompass a behavioral strategy present in many animal species that reduces the costs and increases the benefits of group living. In this case study, we investigated how group characteristics (size and composition) and fission rates in spider monkeys varied in space and time with rainfall, fruit availability, and fruit variability in two sites, each presenting different characteristics regarding the distribution and size of food patches and rainfall. Habitat characteristics strongly influenced FFD in spider monkeys, particularly subgroup size and fission rate. Subgroup size varied with fruit availability and its variability, while fission rates varied with rainfall and fruit variability. However, both subgroup size and fission rate varied in opposite ways, depending upon habitat type. Subgroups tended to present stable mixed-sex composition regardless of fruit availability. We conclude that for spider monkeys, FFD are part of a flexible behavioral strategy to cope with a locally fluctuating environment and with different environments within the geographic range of the species. Fission-fusion dynamics (FFD) constitute a form of social organization that allows some species to take advantage of living in groups under different environmental conditions. The relationship between social organization and environmental variables has been well studied, but inconsistencies remain. One potential reason for these inconsistencies may be the focus of most studies on a single habitat type, with few formal comparisons of FFD in the various habitats occupied by a species. We evaluated how habitat characteristics (e.g., food availability and rainfall) affect FFD (assessed through subgroup size, subgroup composition, and fission rate) in spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) in two different habitat types. We found that within a single habitat type, food availability, variability, and rainfall affected subgroup size and fission rate. Crucially, these relationships contrasted sharply, depending on habitat type. Our study shows that FFD are flexible within and across habitats, indicating the importance of considering habitat characteristics when conducting socio-ecological observations. We caution against generalizations based upon single-habitat studies.

The contribution of social-environmental factors to the emotional adjustment of Israeli religious Jewish women coping with infertility

ABSTRACTThe community is often considered a resource for coping with health-related stress but has potential for negative effects when coping with fertility problems. In this study, we examined the associations between the social–environmental variables (seeking the support of the community, perception of pressure from the community, and perception of spouse support as a possible moderator of this pressure) and emotional adjustment to fertility problems among religious Jewish women in Israel, a highly pronatalist society. Data were collected from January to August 2011. Structural equation modeling using data from 186 women indicated that perception of pressure from the community was associated with poorer emotional adjustment. This association was not moderated by perceived spouse support, but spouse support was associated with better adjustment. Seeking the support of the community was found to be composed of two dimensions: Seeking Ties and Belonging to the Community, which was associated with poorer adjustment, and Seeking Approval and Recognition from the Community, which was associated with better adjustment. These results point to the complexity of dealing with health-related stress when it comes to important community values. Understanding this complexity can help professionals conduct culturally sensitive evaluation and treatment that will contribute to women’s emotional adjustment to fertility problems.

Examining the influence of social‐environmental variables on self‐injurious behaviour in adolescent boys with fragile X syndrome

Individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common known inherited form of intellectual disability, are at increased risk for showing specific forms of self-injurious behaviour (SIB) such as hand biting and head hitting, suggesting that biological factors associated with the syndrome confers increased risk for SIB. Few studies, however, have examined the extent to which social-environmental variables can influence the occurrence of these behaviours in this population. Twenty-two adolescent boys with FXS, aged 10 to 18years were systematically exposed to seven environmental conditions in functional analyses of SIB conducted over 2days at our research centre. Fourteen (63.6%) boys with FXS engaged in SIB during the functional analyses. Ten (45.5%) boys engaged in SIB that was maintained by social-environmental variables, that is, gaining access to attention/tangibles and/or escaping from social interaction, task demands and/or transition demands. For two boys, SIB was undifferentiated across conditions, and for two boys, SIB appeared to be maintained by automatic reinforcement. Social-environmental variables appeared to maintain SIB in a significant proportion of boys with FXS. Given that pharmacological treatments for SIB have limited efficacy in this population, the potential role of social-environmental factors on SIB should be examined before pharmacological treatments are implemented for these behaviours.

Pengaruh Lingkungan Sosial, Kepercayaan Merek, dan Citra Merek Terhadap Keputusan Pembelian (Studi Kasus pada pengguna iPhone di Kota Bogor)

The purpose of this study were (1) to determine the influence of social environment on purchasing decisions of iPhone, (2) to determine the effect confidence brand on purchase decisions of iPhone users,(3) to determine the effect of brand image to purchasing decisions of iPhone (4) to determine the influence of social environment, brand trust and brand image altogether on purchasing decisions of iPhone. The respondents in this research were 100 respondents, taken from the iPhone smartphone users in the city of Bogor and the campus STIE Kesatuan. The data were then processed using SPSS, 2016. From the analysis conducted, following results were obtained; (1) The social environment has a positive influence on purchase decisions resulted in a coefficient of 0.056 and a significance value of 0.247. (2) Trust brand has a positive influence on purchase decisions resulted in a coefficient of 0.257 and a significance value of 0.004. (3) The influence of brand image has a positive influence on purchase decisions resulted in a coefficient of 0.251 and a significance value of 0.002. (4) Social Environment, Brand Trust and Brand altogether have positive influence and significance on purchasing decisions of iPhone smartphones with significant value 0,000. Detreminasinya coefficient value of 0.369 indicates that 36.9% Social Environment variables, Brand Trust and Brand Purchase Decisions influencing variables, whereas for 63.1% explained by other variables not examined in this study

A Study on the Factors Affecting the Period of Job Maintenance of Persons with Cerebral Palsy

본 연구는 취업한 뇌성마비인의 직업유지기간에 영향을 미치는 요인들을 실증적인 분석을 통하여 구명하고 이를 바탕으로 뇌성마비근로자가 직업을 지속적으로 유지하기 위한 방안을 모색하는 것이다. 이를 위해 뇌성마비근로자의 일반적인 특성을 파악하고, 인구학적 요인, 장애관련 요인, 취업관련 요인, 사회환경 요인들이 뇌성마비근로자의 직업유지기간에 미치는 영향을 검증하고자 한다. 분석을 위하여 뇌성마비근로자 233명을 대상으로 빈도분석과 기술통계 그리고 t-test와 일원배치 분산분석을 실시하였다. 뇌성마비근로자의 직업유지기간에 영향을 미치는 요인분석 결과를 살펴보면, 직업유지기간에 영향을 미치는 4요인 17개 변수 가운데 15개 변수가 통계적으로 정적으로 유의미한 결과를 나타내었다, 인구학적 요인에서 직업유지기간에 유의미한 영향을 미치는 변수는 연령, 가구소득, 결혼상태, 교육수준으로 나타났다. 장애관련 요인에서는 장애등급, 장애원인, 의사소통능력이었으며, 취업관련 요인에서는 임금, 고용형태, 장애관련기관 및 기업, 직무형태, 직업훈련, 자격증이었고, 사회환경요인에서는 보조공학기기, 근로지원인서비스가 영향요인이었다.The purpose of this study is to identify through empirical analysis about factors affecting the period of job maintenance of workers with cerebral palsy. Based on this, workers with cerebral palsy are looking for ways to maintain their job continuously. For this purpose, this study identifies the general characteristics and verify the affect of demographic factors, disability-related factors, employment-related factors, and social environment factors on the job maintenance period of workers with cerebral palsy. For the analysis, frequency analysis, descriptivel analysis, T-test and One-way Anova was conducted for 233 persons with cerebral palsy. The results of the study, of 17 variables of the four factors affecting the job maintenance period, 15 variables obtained statistically significant results. First, the demographic variables were age, household income, marital status, and education level. Second, the disability-related variables were disability grade, disability cause, and communication ability. Third, the employment-related variables were wage, employment type, disability-related organizations and companies, job type, job training, and qualification. Fourth, the social environment variables were assistive technology devices, and labor support personnel services.

Associations of social environment, socioeconomic position and social mobility with immune response in young adults: the Jerusalem Perinatal Family Follow-Up Study

ObjectivesImmune response to cytomegalovirus (CMV) impacts adult chronic disease. This study investigates associations of childhood and adulthood social environment, socioeconomic position (SEP) and social mobility with CMV response in young...

Natural language indicators of differential gene regulation in the human immune system

Adverse social conditions have been linked to a conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA) in circulating leukocytes that may contribute to social gradients in disease. However, the CNS mechanisms involved remain obscure, in part because CTRA gene-expression profiles often track external social-environmental variables more closely than they do self-reported internal affective states such as stress, depression, or anxiety. This study examined the possibility that variations in patterns of natural language use might provide more sensitive indicators of the automatic threat-detection and -response systems that proximally regulate autonomic induction of the CTRA. In 22,627 audio samples of natural speech sampled from the daily interactions of 143 healthy adults, both total language output and patterns of function-word use covaried with CTRA gene expression. These language features predicted CTRA gene expression substantially better than did conventional self-report measures of stress, depression, and anxiety and did so independently of demographic and behavioral factors (age, sex, race, smoking, body mass index) and leukocyte subset distributions. This predictive relationship held when language and gene expression were sampled more than a week apart, suggesting that associations reflect stable individual differences or chronic life circumstances. Given the observed relationship between personal expression and gene expression, patterns of natural language use may provide a useful behavioral indicator of nonconsciously evaluated well-being (implicit safety vs. threat) that is distinct from conscious affective experience and more closely tracks the neurobiological processes involved in peripheral gene regulation.

Which physical and social environmental factors are most important for adolescents\u2019 cycling for transport? An experimental study using manipulated photographs

BackgroundEcological models emphasize that cycling for transport is determined by an interplay between individual, physical and social environmental factors. The current study investigated (a) which physical and social environmental factors determine adolescents’ preferences towards cycling for transport and (b) which individual, physical and social environmental factors are associated with their intention to actually cycle for transport.MethodsAn online questionnaire consisting of questions on individual and social environmental variables, and 15 choice-based conjoint tasks with manipulated photographs was completed by 882 adolescents (55.3% male; 13.9 ± 1.6 years). Within the choice tasks, participants were asked to indicate which of two situations they would prefer to cycle to a friend’s house. The manipulated photographs were all modified versions of one semi-urban street which differed in the following physical micro-environmental attributes (separation of cycle path, evenness of cycle path, speed limit, speed bump, traffic density, amount of vegetation and maintenance). In addition, each photograph was accompanied by two sentences which described varying cycling distances and co-participation in cycling (i.e. cycling alone or with a friend). After each choice task participants were also asked if they would actually cycle in that situation in real life (i.e. intention). Hierarchical Bayes analyses were performed to calculate relative importances and part-worth utilities of environmental attributes. Logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate which individual, physical and social environmental factors were associated with adolescents’ intention to actually cycle for transport.ResultsAdolescents’ preference to cycle for transport was predominantly determined by separation of cycle path, followed by shorter cycling distance and co-participation in cycling. Higher preferences were observed for a separation between the cycle path and motorized traffic by means of a hedge versus a curb, versus a marked line. Similar findings were observed for intention to cycle. Furthermore, evenness of the cycle path and general maintenance of the street were also of considerable importance among adolescents, but to a lesser extent.ConclusionsResults of this experimental study justify investment by local governments in well-separated cycling infrastructure, which seemed to be more important than cycling distance and the social environment.