Motonormativity: how social norms hide a major public health hazard

Walker, Ian; Tapp, Alan; Davis, Adrian

Abstract

Decisions about motor transport, by individuals and policy-makers, show unconscious biases due to cultural assumptions about the role of private cars-a phenomenon we term motonormativity. To explore this claim, a national sample of 2157 UK adults rated, at random, a set of statements about driving ("People shouldn't drive in highly populated areas where other people have to breathe in the car fumes") or a parallel set of statements with keywords changed to shift context ("People shouldn't smoke in highly populated areas where other people have to breathe in the cigarette fumes"). Such context changes could radically alter responses (75% agreed with "People shouldn't smoke..." but only 17% agreed with "People shouldn't drive..."). We discuss how these biases systematically distort medical and policy decisions and give recommendations for how public policy and health professionals might begin to recognise and address these unconscious biases in their work.

Citation

Walker, I., Tapp, A., & Davis, A. (2023). Motonormativity: how social norms hide a major public health hazard. International Journal of Environment and Health, 11(1), 21-33. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJENVH.2023.135446

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 19, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Dec 13, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023
• Deposit Date: Sep 16, 2024
• Print ISSN: 1743-4955
• Electronic ISSN: 1743-4963
• Publisher: Inderscience
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 21-33
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1504/IJENVH.2023.135446
• Keywords: transport; sustainability; active travel; physical activity; public health; unconscious bias; prejudice; decision-making; cultural influences