New study suggests cycling gives us an 'orientation towards the common good'

A newly released study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology has concluded that people who cycle are more likely to have an "orientation towards the common good".

The study, which was undertaken by psychology researchers at the University of Hagen, Germany, explored the link between 'mobility behaviour' – specifically whether people use their car or a bike – and four measures of 'common good': political participation, social participation, neighbourhood solidarity, and neighbourly helpfulness.

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The researchers analysed data from annual surveys between 2014 and 2019, giving a representation of the German general population. The initial cohort comprised 4,900 panellists, and the conclusion was that cyclists are more orientated towards the common good.

"Cycling", the authors write, "was the only variable that was a significant positive predictor for all four facets of orientation towards the common good after controlling for possibly confounding variables (homeownership, personal income, education, sex)."

This, say the authors, is a significant discovery. A focus on the common good, they write, is "an essential component of social cohesion", and so their findings could have broad implications for policy and planning.

"The benefits of cycling over driving," they write, "are more profound and sustainable than previously thought."

The psychologists behind the study offered an explanation as to why this is the case.

"Because of the design of cars, the interactions car passengers have with their direct environment are significantly reduced. [...] Acoustic backdrops and smells of the city are not captured and distinctive buildings or urban artefacts are reduced to two dimensions."

The “relative isolation” of driving, they say, can “reinforce individualistic behaviours and cause drivers to neglect collective actions”.

By contrast, cyclists are able to "directly experience the breadth of social diversity and cultural heterogeneity that make up urban life".

The authors suggest that "this direct experience of the neighbourhood environment leads to a stronger emotional bond between people and their neighbourhood".

Whether cycling causes us to be more community-spirited, or whether people who already are orientated towards the common good are simply more likely to use their bike, is unproven. Either way, this study gives policy-makers another reason to put active transport at the top of their agenda.