Mapping mental models of parents’ risk perceptions of autonomous public transport use by young children: a social representations theory approach

Shirley S. Ho and Wenqi Tan

Journal of Risk Research, 2023, vol. 26, issue 9, 989-1005

Abstract: Numerous countries are integrating autonomous vehicles into their public transport systems. Among the expected benefits of autonomous public transport, increased mobility for families with young children is foregrounded. Yet, the potential risks associated with autonomous public transport may impede parents’ acceptance of the technology for use by their children. As risk communication is an effective strategy for mitigating the influence of risk perception on acceptance, this study sought to proactively identify risk perceptions that parents hold toward autonomous public transport. Against the backdrop of Singapore’s imminent deployment of autonomous public transport and informed by the social representations theory, we elicited a mental model of parents’ risk perceptions toward autonomous public transport that was sensitive to the diversity of opinion among parents and their preferences for risk communication messages about autonomous public transport. To that end, we conducted three online focus group discussions consisting of 21 Singaporean parents who had children aged 2 wk to 12 years old. Theoretically, this study addresses research gaps in the mental models literature and offers theoretical implications for scholars seeking to employ the mental models approach to understand lay risk perceptions. Practically, this study informs the design of relevant and targeted risk communication messages about autonomous public transport.

Date: 2023
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/13669877.2023.2218862 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:jriskr:v:26:y:2023:i:9:p:989-1005

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/RJRR20

DOI: 10.1080/13669877.2023.2218862

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Risk Research is currently edited by Bryan MacGregor

More articles in Journal of Risk Research from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().