IdeasSpace with Pete Dyson, the Principal Behavioural Scientist at the Department for Transport

Pete Dyson, is the Principal Behavioural Scientist at the Department for Transport and author of Transport for Humans.

The human mind does not run on logic any more than a horse runs on petrol.” (Rory Sutherland).

People often don’t think what they feel, don’t say what they think, and don’t do what they say. Making transport improvements requires a more systematic and rigorous approach, we cannot simply apply rule based thinking to problems, and this is why I think behavioural science can be key to breaking the car-first habit.

Applying understanding of why people make certain decisions and what motivates them is critical to influencing behaviour and enabling people to lead more sustainable lifestyles, but also to making cities more fun and diverse.