The effect of personality characteristics on the choice of transportation mode

In this study, it is aimed to investigate the effects of personality traits and factors affecting the choice of transportation mode. In the study, data were collected by making a survey of 1033 people in Turkey. Reliability analysis was performed on the factors in the survey data separately and all reliability coefficients were obtained with good values (Cronbach's Alpha value was 0.73 at the lowest and 0.90 at the highest). Personality characteristics were determined by the Big Five – 50 Personality Test, which is the Turkish short form of the Five – Factor Personality Test. Personality characteristics; extraversion, agreeableness, responsibility, emotional stability, and intelligence/imagination. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to check the compatibility of the personality test with the theoretical basis. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value was determined as 0.90 and Bartlett's Test result as p<0.001, and personality test factors were found to be suitable for exploratory factor analysis. During the exploratory factor analysis, items that did not have sufficient load values were removed from the scale and the factor loading values of the remaining items ranged from 0.40 to 0.82. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to check the conformity of the personality test to the theoretical basis, and the assumptions required for confirmatory factor analysis were tested. These assumptions are; whether the mean values of the personality traits factors show a normal distribution, whether there is a multicollinearity between the factors and the correlation values between the factors. After the assumptions were made, confirmatory factor analysis was performed and items with factor load values well below 0.60 were removed from the scale. The factor loading values of the remaining items ranged from 0.55 to 0.83. After the confirmatory factor analysis of the personality test factors was completed, the transportation type selection factor was added to the model and the structural equation model was established. By analyzing the structural equation model, the effect of personality traits on the transportation type selection factor was observed. It was determined that only the compatibility factor from personality traits had a significant (β=0.11 / p<0.05) effect on the choice of transportation type. In addition, the effect of personality traits on the frequency of use of transportation types was also examined in this study. The use of walking and cycling was positively associated with emotional stability, the use of private cars and taxis was positively associated with extraversion, and the use of public transportation was positively associated with agreeableness; Taxi use was found to be negatively related to emotional stability. Keywords: Transportation, Transport mode, Structural equation modeling, Personality characteristics