Travel Socialization: A Social Theory of Travel Mode Behavior

This article reports research investigating the cultural determinants of children's travel. A new perspective, travel socialization theory, is presented. This states that children learn about travel modes in the same way as other aspects of culture through agents of socialization: the family, school, media, and peer groups. The role of each is discussed. A theoretical implication of travel socialization is that our thinking and attitudes toward transport modes are embedded in childhood. A policy implication is that car dependency should be viewed as a social problem and tackled from a social policy rather than just a travel demand management approach.