How and why do men and women differ in their willingness to use automated cars? The influence of emotions across different age groups

Current research on willingness to use automated cars indicates differences between men and women, with the latter group showing lower usage intentions. This study aims at providing a first explanation of this effect. Research from other fields suggests that affective reactions might be able to explain behavioral intentions and responses towards technology, and that these affects vary depending on age levels. By examining a sample of 1603 participants representative for Germany (in terms of biological sex, age, and education) the authors found evidence that affective responses towards automotive cars (i.e., anxiety and pleasure) explain (i.e., mediate) the effect of biological sex on willingness to use them. Moreover, the authors found that these emotional processes vary as a function of respondent age in such a way that the differential effect of sex on anxiety (but not on pleasure) was more pronounced among relatively young respondents and decreased with participants’ age. The authors' results suggest that addressing anxiety-related responses towards automated cars (e.g., by providing safety-related information) and accentuating especially the pleasurable effects of automated cars (e.g., via advertising) reduce differences between men and women. Addressing the anxiety-related effects in order to reduce sex differences in usage intentions seems to be less relevant for older target groups, whereas promoting the pleasurable responses is equally important across age groups.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2016.09.022
• Record URL:
  • http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856415301464
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/09658564
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Hohenberger, Christoph
  • Spörrle, Matthias
  • Welpe, Isabell M
• Publication Date: 2016-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 374-385
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice
  • Volume: 94
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0965-8564
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09658564

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age groups; Anxiety; Automobile travel; Emotions; Females; Gender; Intelligent vehicles; Males; Psychological aspects
• Uncontrolled Terms: Willingness to accept approach
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Society; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01619141
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 21 2016 11:29AM