Symbolic and affective motives for car use

Three successive research aimed at studying the significance of symbolic and affective motives for car use. The projects were funded by the Transport Research Centre of the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management and by the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment.

Main project

This project is part of project "Understanding environmental behaviour".

Researchers and partners

Behavioural and Social Sciences, Psychology

• Linda Steg, Social Psychology
• Charles Vlek, Social Psychology

Education

Courses connected to this project

• Master Environmental Psychology

Results

Publications

• Steg, L. (2005). Car use: lust and must. Instrumental, symbolic and affective motives for car use. Transportation Research-A, 39 (2-3), 147-162.
• Steg, L. (2004). Car use: lust and must. In: T. Rothengatter & R.D. Huguenin (Eds.), Traffic and transport psychology: theory and application (pp. 443-452) Amsterdam: Elsevier.
• Steg, L., Vlek, C., & Slotegraaf, G. (2001). Instrumental-reasoned and symbolic-affective motives for using a motor car. Transportation Research-F: Psychology and Behaviour, 4 (3), 151-169.
• Steg, L., & Vlek, C. (1999). Autogebruik: must en lust. Instrumentele en affectieve motieven voor autogebruik (Car use: must and lust. Instrumental and affective motives for car use). Tijdschrift Vervoerswetenschap (Journal of Transport Science), 4 , 303-322.

University's focus areas

• Energy
• Sustainable Society