walking & walkability
improve our understanding of how objective and subjectively perceived environmental factors influence walkability and walking behavior in urban environments
Walking and walkability in Israeli Cities
Integrating behavioral and structural approaches in pedestrian modeling
The research project aimed to improve our understanding of pedestrian activity in urban environments by conducting a large-scale study on walking behavior and the more structural aspects of walkability, as well as the relationship between the two. The study was divided into two parallel and interrelated research efforts. The first investigated the behavioral aspects of walking through GPS surveys and virtual reality experiments. The second focused on structural factors that impacted walking, particularly environmental factors related to city structure, using an agent-based modeling platform and analysis of geographical layers.
Funded by: Israel Science Foundation (ISF), 2022
Person-centered and configurational approaches for studying walkability and walking
Employing novel theories and advanced methodological tools in research
The research was developed to improve our understanding of how objective and subjectively perceived environmental factors influence walkability and walking behavior in urban environments. By integrating residents' specific exposure to (objective) environmental factors, together with their unique environmental perceptions influenced by personal characteristics and traits, this study seeks to uncover the nuanced effects of living environments on walking behaviors. The study utilizes a novel research approach/concept of Environmental Configuration (EC), which integrates objective and subjective environmental factors into a more holistic understanding of environmental exposures (configurations) and their impact on walking behavior.
Funded by: Israel Science Foundation (ISF), 2025
