Are they really interested but concerned? A mixed methods exploration of the Geller bicyclist typology. (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hosford, Kate; Laberee, Karen; Fuller, Daniel; Kestens, Yan; Winters, Meghan
• Is Part Of: Transportation research. Volume 75(2021)
• Page Start: 26
• Page End: 36
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: Bicycling -- Typology -- Attitudes -- Bicycling infrastructure; Automobile drivers -- Psychology -- Periodicals; Automobile driving -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Transportation -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; 629.283019
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2020.09.018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-8478

Abstract

Highlights: We assessed a commonly used survey-derived method for Geller's bicyclist typology. The survey-derived method did not match how bicyclists self-identified. A single direct question asking people to self-categorize may be preferable. All types of bicyclists valued bicycle infrastructure. Abstract: The Geller typology, which categorizes the population into four types of bicyclists (strong and fearless, enthused and confident, interested but concerned, and no way no how) has gained considerable popularity amongst researchers and planners. One large U.S. study used a survey-derived approach to categorize respondents into Geller's typology, and found the majority of Americans were "interested but concerned". While the U.S. findings are widely cited in planning documents, there has yet to be an assessment as to whether this indirect survey-derived categorization into Geller's typology corresponds with how bicyclists perceive themselves. Using a mixed methods approach, we explored the Geller typology from the view of bicyclists themselves. Our specific objectives were to assess whether the survey-derived categorization method aligned with bicyclists' perceptions, and to also examine bicyclists' interpretations of Geller's typology. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of bicyclists (n = 281) and interviews with a subset of participants (n = 25). According to the survey-derived categorization, the distribution of the sample (n = 25) was: 4% strong and fearless, 12% enthused and confident, and 84% interested but concerned. In the interviews we learned there was only a match between survey-derived and self-perceived bicyclist type for seven of twenty-five (28%) participants. When asked, participants were more likely to categorize themselves to strong and fearless (24% overall) or enthused and confident (52% overall). Our findings suggest that the category titles are intuitive, however, the survey-derived categorization does not necessarily match with how bicyclists perceive themselves. This suggests that, at least for those who currently bicycle, a direct approach of asking people which type of bicyclist they identify with may be preferable.