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Is a Stage Model a Useful Approach to Explain Car Drivers' Willingness to Use Public Transportation?
Author(s) -
Bamberg Sebastian
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2007.00236.x
Subject(s) - action (physics) , cluster (spacecraft) , psychology , test (biology) , stage (stratigraphy) , social psychology , sequence (biology) , econometrics , computer science , mathematics , chemistry , paleontology , physics , quantum mechanics , biology , programming language , biochemistry
The paper empirically evaluates the utility of a stage approach in describing car drivers' decisions to change to public transportation. Data from 2 samples are used to test whether 5 subgroups assumed to represent an ordered sequence of decision stages derived from an extended version of the model of action phases (Gollwitzer, 1996) is clearer than the changed one. Contrary to expectations, cluster analysis indicates that a 4‐cluster solution is most adequate. Whereas the profiles of 3 clusters fit the expected features of the precontemplation, contemplation, and maintenance stages, the existence of separated preparation and action stages was not confirmed. Evidence was also mixed for the assumption that the assignment to the decision stages can be predicted by specific motivational variables.