Self-selection : A key to a better understanding of location choices, travel behavior, and transport externalities?

In the last decade the importance of attitude-related residential self-selection has frequently been recognized. In addition people can theoretically self select them with respect to other location choices, such as job locations, with respect to travel behavior, or with respect to the exposure to transport externalities such as noise and congestion. In this paper we argue that insights into self-selection processes might significantly improve our knowledge on location choices, travel behavior, and transport externalities. We elaborate on options for self-selection and briefly formulate methodologies for research into self-selection. We think the most important categories that self-selection relates to (1) travel behavior preferences (mode choice, travel frequency, travel time, travel distances) and related location choices, (2) exposure to transport externalities (congestion, safety/risk, noise), and (3) vehicle choice and driving behavior.