LTS Transport Summit Sheffield - Pete Dyson - On Carrots ^L0 Sticks (October 2023) (1).pdf
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This document discusses the limitations of using the "carrots and sticks" metaphor for transport policy. It argues that this metaphor frames people as reacting individually to incentives, omitting societal and structural factors. Alternative frameworks are proposed that take a more holistic, upstream approach by addressing systemic issues, capabilities, and intrinsic motivations. The document advocates moving beyond carrots and sticks through social research, harm reduction, upstream solutions, and public engagement to design policies that better solve people's transportation problems.
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![LIMITATIONS
Omits failings of existing public and active transport design sticks are really punishments for societies
failings.
Intrinsic motivations lacks insight into what people already want to do. [see next slide]
Top down behaviour changes because we (transport) made it happen. Denies external influence.
Individualistic misunderstands travel influence within households/neighbourhoods/organisations.
Forgets derived demand for travel the want/need to travel is socially constructed + neglects many trips are
unwanted and imposed necessities.
Motor-normative* and reversible the metaphor positions the current reality as status quo, with carrots and
sticks layered on top. Not as societal transformation. Carrots and sticks are not radical enough.
Hetrogenous effects carrot and stick bundles risk treating populations, not people. A carrot for journeys, or
for specific individuals? Sticks for driving can be carrots for other modes?
*Walker, I., Tapp, A., & Davis, A. (2022). Motornomativity: How Social Norms Hide a Major Public Health Hazard. PsyArXiv. December 14.
Piatkowski, D. P., Marshall, W. E., & Krizek, K. J. (2019). Carrots versus sticks: assessing intervention effectiveness and implementation
challenges for active transport. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 39(1), 50-64.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/ltstransportsummitsheffield-petedyson-oncarrotsl0sticksoctober20231-231117110014-c5525e29/85/LTS-Transport-Summit-Sheffield-Pete-Dyson-On-Carrots-L0-Sticks-October-2023-1-pdf-10-320.jpg)
LTS Transport Summit Sheffield - Pete Dyson - On Carrots ^L0 Sticks (October 2023) (1).pdf
- 1. Pete Dyson @pete_dyson pete.dyson@transportforhumans.com Beyond Carrots & Sticks Why its time to replace this unhelpful transport policy metaphor
- 3. From seeing people as the problem to solving peoples problems.
- 4. Montague, E. P. (Ed.). (1849). Narrative of the late expedition to the Dead Sea: From a diary by one of the party. Carey and Hart. ORIGINS: a 19th century donkey race
- 5. ORIGINS: behaviourists and economists Behaviourist psychology and neoliberal economics Classical & operant conditioning A vital contribution. Not wrong, but not entirely right. The Behaviourists The Quadrant of Operant Conditioning
- 6. PRESENT DAY discourse in transport debate
- 7. Adapted from: Piatkowski, D. P., Marshall, W. E., & Krizek, K. J. (2019). Carrots versus sticks: assessing intervention effectiveness and implementation challenges for active transport. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 39(1), 50-64.
- 8. STRENGTHS Easy to communicate within organisations Simple to model responses as individuals reacting to incentives The stick approach can be effective for one-shot learning and deterants. E.g. fines Faced with a climate emergency, sticks can feel obviously necessary Consistent with the wider mental model of travel behaviour We use it because it suits us (transport professionals)
- 9. WE ARE HOMO SAPIENS NOT HOMO TRANSPORTICUS
- 10. LIMITATIONS Omits failings of existing public and active transport design sticks are really punishments for societies failings. Intrinsic motivations lacks insight into what people already want to do. [see next slide] Top down behaviour changes because we (transport) made it happen. Denies external influence. Individualistic misunderstands travel influence within households/neighbourhoods/organisations. Forgets derived demand for travel the want/need to travel is socially constructed + neglects many trips are unwanted and imposed necessities. Motor-normative* and reversible the metaphor positions the current reality as status quo, with carrots and sticks layered on top. Not as societal transformation. Carrots and sticks are not radical enough. Hetrogenous effects carrot and stick bundles risk treating populations, not people. A carrot for journeys, or for specific individuals? Sticks for driving can be carrots for other modes? *Walker, I., Tapp, A., & Davis, A. (2022). Motornomativity: How Social Norms Hide a Major Public Health Hazard. PsyArXiv. December 14. Piatkowski, D. P., Marshall, W. E., & Krizek, K. J. (2019). Carrots versus sticks: assessing intervention effectiveness and implementation challenges for active transport. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 39(1), 50-64.
- 11. Bath & North East Somerset Council (2020) Transport Delivery Action Plan For Bath https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Bath%20Report%20Aug%202020%20-%20Final%20edited.pdf
- 12. But weve run out of carrots*, Were going to need more and bigger sticks. *we tried some carrots and they didnt work well enough, give us the stick!
- 14. ALTERNATIVES Beyond carrot and stick ASI Avoid, Shift, Improve COM-B Capability, Opportunity, Motivation ISM Individual, Social, Material Upstream-Downstream societal model of behaviour change
- 17. Upstream-downstream model of behaviour (Behavioural Insights Team, 2023; Verplanken & Wood, 2006)
- 18. Pete Dyson, Author of 'Transport for Humans' and travel behaviour researcher at University of Bath Twitter: @pete_dyson Email: pete.dyson@transportforhumans.com Five ways beyond carrots & Sticks 1. Be conscious of how you, and others, use Carrots & Sticks. Why is it being used? What is it leaving out? 2. Commission social research to understand what people are thinking, feeling and doing 3. Go from sticks to addressing systematic inequities and reducing harm 4. Look upstream, like tackling origins of trip generation 5. Invest in evaluation, public engagement and communicate the impacts