Cognitive decision process of pedestrians in street crossing: Insights from prototype willingness model

Abstract

The cognitive decision-making process of pedestrians using mobile phones while crossing streets was examined in this study through the application of the Prototype Willingness Model (PWM). The primary objective was to provide a theoretical foundation for formulating targeted interventions to improve traffic safety. A comprehensive questionnaire survey was designed to include extended variables such as nomophobia (the fear of being without a mobile phone) and optimism bias. A total of 464 valid responses were collected and subsequently subjected to validity and reliability analyses through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Following these analyses, a structural equation model was employed to validate the theoretical framework. The findings indicate that the extended PWM effectively explained the cognitive decision-making process of Chinese pedestrians using mobile phones while crossing streets. The study revealed that Behavioral Willingness was the strongest predictor of actual behavior, followed by Behavioral Intention and Optimism Bias. Additionally, factors such as Attitude, Subjective Norms, Prototype Perception, and Nomophobia only indirectly influenced actual behavior. Interestingly, the relationship between Optimism Bias and actual behavior opposed the hypothesized direction. The feasibility, effectiveness, and public acceptance of existing traffic safety interventions were discussed, drawing on both domestic and international data. Based on these findings, specific recommendations for interventions to mitigate distracted pedestrian behavior were proposed, contributing to improved traffic safety.