Cycling and Identity: Examining the role of social identity processes in transport choice and cycling

Cookson, Ian (2024) Cycling and Identity: Examining the role of social identity processes in transport choice and cycling. Doctoral thesis (PhD), Manchester Metropolitan University.

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Abstract

This thesis adds to the extant literature on transport choice, by applying a social identity framework to modal shift. According to the Department of Transport 71% of all journeys are short trips under five miles (Department for Transport, 2023a). Of these trips, 67% of journeys between one and five miles, and 16% of journeys under 1 mile are completed by private motor vehicles. Moving from the use of private motor vehicles to Active travel (walking and cycling) is beneficial for personal physical and mental health, while being environmentally sustainable. Psychological research has previously focused on the Theory of Planned behaviour (Ajzen, 1985). The social identity approach has contributed to a limited number of studies considering bicycle use (Gatersleben & Haddad, 2010), or as an extension to the theory of planned behaviour (Lois et al., 2015). However, few studies have explicitly sought to understand how social identity and group processes contributes to bicycle use as a mode of transport. This thesis draws together three distinct studies, a thematic analysis of how the media represents people on bicycles, a discourse analysis of modal choice across all transport users, and a phenomenological study of cycling that uses photo-elicitation to explore participants worlds. The findings are discussed in relation to various aspects of the social identity approach. The hierarchy of transport users is a common theme, explored through the othering of people on bicycles in the media, and the discursive constructions around forced choice and discussions of power. Cycling as a solo activity which results in flow experiences is also discussed and how this relates to personal and social identities which are made salient at specific points. This thesis therefore adds new knowledge by applying the social identity approach to transport choice, while also offering a novel methodological approach in this domain.