Work

Should I buy or should I go? The effect of the big five personality traits and satisfaction with life on E-bike ownership in Germany

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: A prerequisite for sustainable mobility is the move away from fossil fuels. In addition to the transportation sector and public transport , the electrification of individual transport also contributes to the mobility transition. In the present study, we conducted exploratory structural equation modelling using data (n = 14,008) from a large-scale nationwide household panel in Germany to investigate the influence of the big five personality traits and satisfaction with life on the purchase of e-bikes. All big five domains except conscientiousness showed significant, albeit feeble, direct effects on satisfaction with life and indirect effects on e-bike purchases. Conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism , as well as satisfaction with life, had direct effects on e-bike purchases. In contrast, conscientiousness and extraversion were the only big five domains that showed total effects on the outcome. However, the positive effect of satisfaction with life on e-bike ownership was modest. In contrast, owning a photovoltaic system was the strongest predictor of e-bike purchase. At the same time, individuals born in East Germany were not only more dissatisfied with their lives and less likely to buy an e-bike.

Source: Transport Policy

DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2024.12.004

Authors: Stefan Poier, Anna Maria Nikodemska-Wołowik, Michał Suchanek

Institutions: FernUniversität in Hagen, University of Gdańsk

Language: English

Topic: Electric Vehicles and Infrastructure

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,990