Reducing inappropriate bicycle parking through persuasive communication

In this study, the effectiveness of persuasive communication in reducing inappropriate bicycle parking was investigated. We hypothesized that persuasive communication aimed at promoting behavioral intention with respect to reducing the frequency of inappropriate bicycle parking would not actually achieve its objective, but that persuasive communication aimed at promoting implementation intention, as well as behavioral intention, would be successful. We conducted a field experiment using 99 participants who were daily bicycle users. They were randomly assigned to a control group and to 3 experimental groups. The results indicated that participants in the with-advice group and planning group had stronger implementation intentions, and thus reduced their incidence of inappropriate bicycle parking, than did the control and the without-advice groups. However, there were no differences in behavioral intention.