PORTALE DELLA DIDATTICA

PORTALE DELLA DIDATTICA

PORTALE DELLA DIDATTICA

Elenco notifiche



Behavioural theories

01QTVRS

A.A. 2023/24

Course Language

Inglese

Degree programme(s)

Doctorate Research in Urban And Regional Development - Torino

Course structure
Teaching Hours
Lezioni 15
Lecturers
Teacher Status SSD h.Les h.Ex h.Lab h.Tut Years teaching
Pronello Cristina Professore Ordinario CEAR-03/B 15 0 0 0 9
Co-lectures
Espandi

Context
SSD CFU Activities Area context
*** N/A ***    
This PhD course is part of the thematic path "Techniques and Technologies for a Spatial-based Sustainable Development" of the PhD programme in Urban and Regional Development (URD). The course aims at giving a knowledge on the most prevalent learning theories (the Social Cognitive Theory, the Theories of Reasoned Action and Planned Behaviour, the Transtheoretical Model and the Health Action Process Approach) that can be applied to the most diverse scientific fields. These theories cut across the different fields because they are based on the analysis of human behaviour that is the key element to understand how to implement any policy (public and not only). On that theoretical basis the second objective is deepening the knowledge on market segmentation in order to define more people-oriented transport, energy, technology and digital transition and urban policies, as well as any kind of policy, starting with a literature review on market segmentation using attitudinal and behavioural variables. The final goal is, hence, to contribute to deepen the knowledge on behavioural theories and on market segmentation in order to define more people-oriented transport, energy, technology and digital transition, urban (and others) policies.
There are not specific prerequisites. Any PhD student can attend the course in a profitable way because the topics cut across several disciplines.
The course is articulated in different sections: - definition of behaviour, of attitudinal variables, of social norms and of emotions.The behaviour can be described as the manifest, observable response in a given situation with respect to a given target. Consequently, the explanation of the complexity of a human behaviour is a difficult task. The study of human behaviour became an important construct in the psychology in the 20th century, with the advent of the paradigm known subsequently as "behaviourism." In the second half of the 20th century, behaviourism was largely eclipsed as a result of the cognitive revolution and in the 1970s and 1980s emerged the so-called behavioural change theories; - presentation of the different behavioural theories and of their evolution in the last 30 years. Behavioural change theories and models are attempts to explain the reasons behind alterations in individuals' behavioural patterns. These theories cite environmental, personal, and behavioural characteristics as the major factors in behavioural determination. In recent years, there has been increased interest in the application of these theories in the areas of health, education, criminology, energy and international development with the hope that understanding behavioural change will improve the services offered in these fields. Each behavioural change theory or model focuses on different factors attempting to explain behavioural change. The most prevalent theories are the learning theories, the Social Cognitive Theory, the Theories of Reasoned Action and Planned Behaviour, the Transtheoretical Model and the Health Action Process Approach. The course will present the above theories showing how they can be applied in the different research fields, with a particular focus on transport, energy, technology and digital transition, health, environment and urban planning. In fact, the current trend in transport and urban planning and management is to pay growing attention to policies addressed to reduce environmental concerns and to respect the strict constraints the international community is setting. Massive use of motor cars is one of the main causes of many environmental problems. Modal diversion analysis requires adequate knowledge about motives for car use, so that policy action can be targeted towards the most significant factors. A great deal of literature is aimed at the identification of the typical characteristics of people who are willing to change travel behaviour, defining segmentation approaches based on behavioural or socio-economic and demographic variables. This approach does not allow us to shed light on the motivations of behaviour. While in psychological research models are based on the attitude-behaviour relationship, in the transport sector the users’ segmentation based on such relationship has been rare, even if several studies analyze the psychological determinants of modal choice, so important in the land use; - behavioural economics as progress as regards the econometric models. The theory of individual choice behaviour, which has its roots in the economic consumer theory, states that, apart from casual mistakes, random utility contains irrational aspects of the behaviour which cannot be expressed with a mathematical or economical model. However, economically unexplainable behaviour cannot be all considered as irrational; personal feelings, perception and attitudes may assist in explaining and predicting users’ behaviour, and so does a more accurate market segmentation, grouping customers with similar needs and motivations. The behavioural economics tries to include the psycho-social variables to make more reliable the prediction of the behaviour; - techniques of market segmentation. A great amount of research about users’ preferences has shown that the perception of the users’ options is complex due to the mix of internal and external factors that influence choices. Therefore, the definition of users’ typologies through the segmentation of the population in terms of attitudinal, sociological and psychological variables could allow the definition of a set of policies tailored to different “groups”. The theoretical part will then be completed by a practical application of the above concepts. Students will have to design a questionnaire based on behavioural theories in the sector related to their research field that will allow them to identify the variables useful to take decisions and define appropriate policies in their research area.
On site
Written report presentation
P.D.1-1 - December
In case of doubts or questions, please, directly contact the professor