Etzel, Franka (2025) Sharing is Caring? Exploring the Motivation Behind Engagement in Community Car-Sharing in Rural Areas. Master thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
Car-sharing is a promising solution to reduce CO2 emissions in the private transport sector. While research predominantly focuses on car-sharing in urban contexts, rural areas—where car dependency is increasing—are still largely underexplored. Community car-sharing, a neighborhood-based approach, offers significant potential to reduce emissions in rural areas, yet the drivers and barriers of engagement remain poorly understood. This study investigates the motivational factors behind community car-sharing in rural areas. Drawing on shared mobility literature, I hypothesized that habits, self-efficacy, trust, and values (biospheric, altruistic, egoistic, hedonic) would significantly predict motivation to engage. Furthermore, I hypothesized that framing community car-sharing through self-transcendence (environmental and societal benefits) compared to self-enhancement (financial and convenience benefits) values would positively influence intentions and behavior. In total, a sample of 144 participants living in rural areas in the northern Netherlands as well as in Germany was collected. A multiple logistic regression analysis compared motivated and non-motivated individuals on these predictors. An experimental design tested the framing hypothesis. Results showed that habitual car use and trust significantly predicted motivation, while self-efficacy and values did not. No significant differences in intentions or behavior were observed between the framing conditions. Despite power limitations and the unsuccessful experimental manipulation, the findings suggest that practical considerations, such as habitual car use and trust, may outweigh value-based motivations in driving community car-sharing engagement. This research highlights the importance of addressing and further exploring practical aspects in future research and provides valuable insights for advancing the underexplored field of community car-sharing in rural areas.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Muinos Trujillo, G. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Environmental Psychology (EP) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 14 Feb 2025 07:59 |
| Last Modified: | 14 Feb 2025 07:59 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/4643 |
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