An assessment of the role of cultural capital on sustainable mobility behaviours: Conceptual framework and empirical evidence

Several policies have been implemented by governments to reduce the use of cars in favour of other more sustainable transport modes, but empirical studies have provided extensive evidence that measures simply based on driving restrictions or monetary incentives hardly have long-term effects on individual behaviours. We extend conceptual and empirical literature on the determinants of individuals’ mobility behaviour by investigating the possible role of the participation in cultural activities. Consistently with the conceptual framework presented, we find suggestive evidence that the participation to cultural activities is associated to a higher probability of relying on modes of transport alternative to cars, as it acts on individuals’ behavioural and cognitive patterns, breaking the existing idiosyncrasies and lock-ins. In other words, cultural policies are an effective option to reduce the so-called “value-action” gap.