Theory and relationship between mode choice behaviour and spatial experience, perception.

1. The travel mode choice from the perspective of reasonable choice behaviour.

From a sociological perspective, travel behaviour refers to a person's complex decision-making process during a trip, route selection, departure time selection, and destination selection. It is primarily related to the choice of mode of movement (Meng Li, Ming Qiao & Zou Huiping Li, 2019), besides being widely studied based on random utility maximization theories and behavioural theories choice (Ding & Zhang, 2016). Among the numerous theories to explain media selection behaviour, we have found The travel mode choice cycle by De Vos et al. (2021).

Figure 1: The travel mode choice cycle (De Vos et al., 2021)

This group of authors defined the travel mode choice cycle as an integrated conceptual model that connects five constructs (structures in psychology are tools to facilitate        understanding of human behaviour) are satisfaction, attitude, desire, intention, and behaviour. Other substructures influencing the primary structure are habits, opportunities and constraints, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control. The authors also confirm that the behaviour shown in Figure 3.1 results from other factors and is a significant predictor. The travel mode choice cycle is applied as a model to investigate the factors affecting the behaviour of choosing means of transportation and to predict related outcomes; the model can also be applied to traffic choices (such as frequency, distance, and travel time). It helps policymakers to understand what factors can influence people's choice of public transport, bicycle and walking.

We can observe how the passengers interact with the physical space around them and the activities around the traffic space. However, we cannot directly observe what happens from how material factors influence a person's choice of behaviour decisions. So we use behavioural theory and a psychological perspective to explain and reason for processes that happen that we cannot observe. J Watson (1913) has given a model of behavioural theory explained in Figure 3.2 below includes a behavioural sequence of stimulus (Stimulus) and response (Response). However, according to the current contemporary point of view, travel behaviour is a unity consisting of internal and external factors closely related.

Figure 2: Diagram showing the behaviour of individuals according to Stimulus and Response

Except for factors related to demographic and psychological characteristics, which are internal factors, the remaining factors come from the working environment that commuters interact with when using vehicles. In the next section, we will clarify why built environment factors and spatial factors are essential outputs in shaping human behaviour.

2. The relation between mode choice behaviour and spatial experience and perception

Space and mode choice behaviour is a topic that explores how the physical and social environment influences people’s decisions to use different modes of transport, such as walking, cycling, public transport or car. It is relevant for understanding travel behaviour patterns, satisfaction, and policy interventions to promote sustainable mobility (De Vos et al., 2022). Some factors that affect mode choice behaviour are attitudes and preferences, life events, household interactions, and teleworking (Geurs, 2021). These factors can change over time and have different effects on different people. For example, some people may prefer to use public transport because they value environmental benefits, while others may prefer to use cars because they value convenience and flexibility (De Vos et al.,2022). Similarly, some life events, such as moving house, changing jobs, or having children, may trigger changes in mode choice behaviour, while others may not (Geurs, 2021). The built environment is another critical factor that influences mode choice behaviour. It refers to the physical characteristics of the places where people live, work, and travel, such as land use mix, density, accessibility, street connectivity, and infrastructure (Eldeeb, Mohamed and Páez, 2021). The built environment can affect mode choice behaviour by providing or limiting opportunities and incentives for using different modes.

According to Cognitive Neuroscience, the relationship between the mind and body, as well as between idea and space, is fundamentally mediated by the senses, which are not merely receptors of sensory stimuli but relatively active agent that interacts with the perceivable environment and comprehends the experience (Mandik, 2005). A spatial experience is a multi-sensory, concurrent experience encompassing people, context, built environments, and goals. It has the power to strengthen emotional connections within space. A judgment on the nature and character of the space being experienced is formed by condensing a detailed assessment of atmosphere, feeling, and ambience with several unique personal assessments. (What Is a Spatial Experience? 2020, nd.) Tschumi discusses the components of a spatial experience: space, event, and activity. Moreover, it is not simply about space, form, and function but also events and activity. (Tschumi, 2012, 176). The common point of these views concerns the relationship and interaction between people, others, and the built environment. The senses act as mediators between the body and the built environment. People can grasp the atmosphere in a built environment before consciously identifying the elements that create that atmosphere, highlighting the power of positive spatial experiences. (What Is a Spatial Experience? 2020). "Spatial perception is the ability to be aware of individual relationships with the environment around them (exteroceptive processes) and with yourself (interoceptive processes)" (Spatial Perception- Cognitive Ability, n.d.). Spatial awareness comprises two processes, the exteroceptive, which creates representations about our space through feelings, and the interoceptive processes, which create representations about our body, like its position or orientation (Kwon and Iedema, 2022).

The relationship between spatial perception and spatial experience is that they are both aspects of understanding and interacting with the space around us. They can affect each other and be influenced by other factors, such as visual information, sensory modalities, cognitive processes, environmental design, and cultural habits. Spatial perception can influence how we experience the atmosphere, feeling and ambience of a place, so poor spatial perception may make us feel disoriented, confused, or uncomfortable in a certain environment1. (Rosenich, Shaki  and Loetscher, 2020). On the other hand, our perception of the position, motion, and relationships of things and people in space can be influenced by our spatial experience. Positive spatial experiences may cause us to focus more on the specifics, characteristics, and dimensions of the space. We could overlook or avoid space features if we have a bad spatial experience (Kwon and Iedema, 2022). In addition, many studies have shown that after occupying and experiencing a location, people's perceptions and interpretations of it become extremely multimodal (Franck and Lepori, 2007; Kwon and Kim, 2021; Kwon and Kim, 2022).

Spatial perception and experience can occur simultaneously or sequentially, depending on the situation. Sometimes, we use our spatial perception and have a spatial experience simultaneously. Other times, we use our spatial perception first and then have a spatial experience later. It depends on the context and the purpose of our interaction with space experience. For example, spatial perception can determine how we locate, move, and interact with objects and people in space, influencing how we feel and evaluate space (Eimer, 2004). Spatial perception can also create multisensory illusions that alter our spatial experience of auditory and tactile events through visual information (Azarby and Rice, 2022). Spatial perception can also affect our spatial design decisions and outcomes, impacting our spatial experience of the built environment (Rosenich, Shaki and Loetscher, 2020). When utilizing public transportation, commuters must utilize spatial perception to navigate routes, identify their destination, avoid accidents with other passengers or vehicles, and estimate the time and distance of their journey. To enjoy the road trip, take in the landscape, engage with people, and feel comforted and safe, they must also use spatial experience.

In general, spatial experience and perception are subjective and cognitive components of how humans interact and assess their physical surroundings.  Donkor, Saleh, and Fonzone (2019) pointed out that spatial experience and perception can influence mode choice behaviour by affecting travellers' attitudes, preferences, and satisfaction with various modes. Travellers, for example, may select modes that provide greater comfort, flexibility, dependability, or safety. Otherwise, travellers' exposure, awareness, and participation in their physical surroundings might influence their spatial experience and perception. For example, depending on the speed, distance, and sensory input of their selected mode, travellers may experience and perceive their environment differently (Rahimi et al., 2018). The travel mode choice cycle has also demonstrated that other psychological structures influence choice behaviour in sequence but is not the result of other factors but is also a significant predictor, i.e. choice behaviour will yield a cyclic cause-and-effect relationship.

Figure 3: Diagram of the relationship between travel mode choice behaviour and spatial experience and perception

From the learnings of the Travel mode choice cycle of the content travel mode choice from the perspective of rational choice behaviour and the review of research papers, we have built a research diagram on the study's choice of means of transportation with three structures: "intention", "satisfaction", and "behaviour". That process is considered by factors limited to spatial experience and perception mechanisms. In Figure 3.3, these two structures are seen as stimuli according to a behavioural sequence of stimulus (Stimulus) and response (Response) by J. Waston so that the Travel mode choice cycle with three main structures is a "Commuter decision-making process", and Behaviour is responses. Although the previous content mentioned the effects of the study, it was limited to the study of bus choice behaviour, so the diagram does not show the relationship between mode choice behaviour and the opposite effect, with factors like spatial experience and perception.

References

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2. De Vos, J., Mokhtarian, P.L., Schwanen, T., Van Acker, V., & Witlox, F. (2021). Travel mode choice: A review of operational and conceptual models. Transport Reviews, 41(6), 733-758.

3. De Vos, J., Singleton, P.A., & Van Acker, V. (2022). The influence of attitudes and life events on travel behavior: A longitudinal study. Journal of Transport Geography, 98, 103242.

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16. Rosenich, J., Shaki, S., & Loetscher, T. (2020). Spatial cognition and environmental design: How perception influences experience. Journal of Cognitive Science, 44(5), 145-161.

17. Tschumi, B. (2012). Architecture and disjunction. MIT Press.

18. What is a spatial experience? (2020).

19. Spatial perception – Cognitive ability (n.d.).