Abstract

This study aims to evaluate if children's affective experience of every-day travel varies depending on travel mode and destination of travel. More specifically, what are children's reported valence (unpleasantness-pleasantness) and activation (deactivation-activation) while travelling to different destinations and does this experience have spill-over effects on how they perceive activities at the destination. 206 Children (101 girls) recorded their travels in a diary throughout a school week along with reports of travel mode, experience of every-day travel, activities on arrival, and the experiences of activities. Results showed that average valence and activation was significantly lower while travelling to school than travelling to other destinations. Degree of activation during a school day was significantly lower for those who had travelled by car than for those who had cycled to school. Girls experienced less activation than boys on their way to school and during a school day when they had travelled by car. It is concluded that children's affective experiences differ depending on how they travel and where they go. Moreover, there is a difference between boys' and girls' experiences. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Valence; Activation; Travel mode; Commuting to school

Published in

Journal of Transport Geography
2013, Volume: 29, pages: 95-102
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD

SLU Authors

• Mårtensson, Fredrika

  • Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Landscape Architecture
Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology
Applied Psychology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2013.01.003

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/43275