Risk-taking, emotions and socio-cognitive dynamics of pedestrian street-crossing decision-making in the city

• Published in: Transportation research. Part F, Traffic psychology and behaviour Traffic psychology and behaviour, 2019-08, Vol.65, p.141-157
• Main Authors: Cœugnet, Stéphanie, Cahour, Béatrice, Kraiem, Sami
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Complexity; Decision making; Elicitation interview; Emotions; Pedestrian crossings; Pedestrians; Risk factors; Situation awareness; Situational awareness; Social influence; Street-crossing decision-making; Studies; Time pressure
• ISSN: 1369-8478; 1873-5517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2019.07.011

•This study investigates pedestrian street-crossing decision-making.•A triangulation method was used (elicitation interview and video recordings).•Time pressure has a great effect on risky decision-making.•Emotion must be considered in the dynamic decision-making process.•Results are discussed in terms of the situational awareness model (Endsley, 1995). This study investigates pedestrian street-crossing decision-making to better appreciate both the complexity and the dynamics of this activity by analyzing the cognitive, emotional and social processes involved in such situations. We consider street-crossing decision-making in the context of situational awareness (Endsley’s model) by exploring other variables that may influence the decision-making: time pressure, emotions and social influence. Twenty participants were included in the study. They were instructed to negotiate two 1 km-routes in a large city using a paper map. After each route, they were invited to participate in an elicitation interview. A time pressure context was added for half of the participants. The originality of the method was based on the mixed approach of observable variables (video recordings from the viewpoint of the pedestrian and of an external observer) and the subjective experience of the street crossing by the pedestrian (e.g., perception, thoughts, feelings, anticipation) according to the situation’s dynamics. In total, the data included 67 elicited and recorded street crossings. The data indicated that approximately one-third of the street-crossing decisions were risky. In our observations, street-crossing decision-making was modulated by street-crossing habits, the environment configuration, the social influence, the learning of the road situation and the vehicle behavior. This study accounts for the complexity of street-crossing, the related risk and its links with feelings.