Psychological and environmental factors influencing urban cycling: Insights from a pilot study

Introduction Urban cycling represents a key strategy for promoting sustainable mobility and helping reduce the negative externalities caused by road traffic. However, its adoption remains limited due to several factors, not only related to the lack of adequate physical infrastructure, but also to socio-psychological and environmental aspects. Methods This pilot study examines the role of perceived danger, discomfort, and social norms in influencing cycling intentions in Cagliari, Italy. A sample of 109 participants was exposed to immersive scenarios depicting different urban cycling conditions, including variations in traffic levels, bicycle lane presence, urban greenery, and street furniture. Results Statistical analyses, including non-parametric tests and moderation models, suggested the presence of associations between perceived discomfort, danger, and vehicular interaction with cycling intentions. Scenarios incorporating cycling infrastructure were associated with lower perceived danger and discomfort and with higher reported cycling intention compared with the baseline scenario. Additionally, perceived social norms were positively and significantly associated with cycling intention in the best-rated scenario; however, the moderation analysis provided no evidence that perceived danger moderated this association. Conclusions Overall, the findings tentatively highlight the potential relevance of both environmental and socio-psychological factors in shaping cycling intentions. However, given the pilot nature of the study, the non-probability sample, and the use of simulated scenarios, the results should be interpreted with caution. Further research, ideally involving real-world settings and behavioral measures, is needed to better understand these relationships. These preliminary insights may nonetheless inform ongoing discussions on sustainable urban mobility and the possible role of infrastructure and social factors in encouraging cycling.