Exploring the impact of the social network geography on the individual's activity space using structural equation models

Abstract

Most leisure travel has social motivations, one of them is to be in contact with people from their social network, this means that the decision does not only depends on individual preferences and restrictions but also on the other person (or persons) involved in the activity. This means that the places an individual visits for leisure are strongly correlated with the geographic location of their social network. This hypothesis is tested with a structural equation model that includes social needs and mobility demand as latent variables. The model shows a strong correlation between these two variables, showing a positive impact on the geographic distribution of social networks and the number of contacts with the area of leisure activity space, and the number of frequently visited locations. This model shows the social network’s importance in individual mobility decisions and patterns.