Readiness to Change and Pro-Environmental Transportation Behaviors: A Multidimensional and Gender-Sensitive Analysis

The escalating climate crisis necessitates urgent and widespread behavioral change, particularly in transportation choices, given their significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. This study examines the relationship between dimensions of readiness to change (RTC) and pro-environmental transportation behaviors (PEB-T), exploring both linear and non-linear patterns of association. Data were collected from 807 participants via an online survey, and analyses included linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and network analysis (NA) to account for non-linear relationships and gender-specific variations. Results indicate that perceived importance of the problem consistently emerged as a critical predictor of PEB-T across all analyses and gender groups. However, other dimensions, such as motivation, effectiveness of the proposed solution, action, and perceived readiness, exhibited gender-sensitive effects. These findings advance the understanding of RTC as a determinant of PEB-T, highlighting both universal and gender-specific predictors. The study supports the hypothesis of non-linear relationships between antecedents and behaviors, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions.