Behavioural Choice Modelling

Image

Details

Day-to-day human mobility is shaped by decisions on activities and consumption. These mobility choices include when, where and how to travel; and impact the demand and utilisation pattern of infrastructure. These choices also have close links with the health and well-being of the users.  

We are part of the University-wide Inter-disciplinary Choice Modelling Centre (CMC).

Our research interests include: 
•    Developing innovative methodologies for modelling choice behaviour, and comparing alternative behavioural modelling approaches 
•    Bridging disciplines like machine learning and artificial intelligence, mathematical psychology and neuropsychology with traditional econometric models to better capture the behavioural processes leading to the choices  
•    Advanced behavioural data collection through smartphone apps, smart card data, participatory value evaluation, etc.
•    Combining diverse data sources and adopting emerging techniques for measuring Psycho-physiological responses - such as  heart rate variability, blood pressure, skin conductance, eye-tracking, EEG – to gain deeper behavioural insights.
•    Creating  fit-for-purpose models for discrete, continuous, and mixed choice settings, with application across transport, health, energy and business/marketing..

Our capabilities include:
•    Design of methodologies for collecting data on choices and behaviour: discrete choice experiments, field experiments – with and without interventions, etc.
•    Harvesting passively generated digital footprints from public transport smart cards, social media posts, smartphone apps, etc. and developing data fusion frameworks for better understanding attitudes, behaviour and choices
•    Developing advanced choice and behavioural models and applying them to complex data
•    Software development (Apollo) to model behaviour

Our staff and PhD students 

Please click here for more information about our staff and click here for PhD students.
 

Current Research Projects

• SYNERGY -  Developing new behavioural models at the intersection of psychology, econometrics and machine learning  
• NEXUS - NEXt generation activity and travel behavioUr modelS: Bringing together choice modelling, data science and ubiquitous computing (NEXUS) | Institute for Transport Studies | University of Leeds
• ADROIT - Analytics for Demand Responsive Online Intelligent Transport 
• TOZCA – Towards Zero Carbon Aviation
• INFUZE - better transport for everyone
• For more information about our current and previous projects, please check our Research projects  
   

Research degrees

We have opportunities for prospective postgraduate researchers. Example projects and funding opportunities can be found in our PhD directory. Previous topics have included:

•    Integrating social influence in models of travel behaviour
•    Behavioural flexibility in choice modelling - bridging the gap with mathematical psychology
•    Understanding hypothetical bias in stated preference data for transport studies
•    Modelling ‘difficult’ decisions using emerging data sources
•    Developing travel behaviour models using smart card data, mobile phone data, GPS data, etc.
 

Collaborations & Partnerships

We collaborate with other academics worldwide. Our research informs key policy decisions (e.g., we contributed to the latest UK Value of Travel Time Savings study for the Department for Transport) and is published in high quality international journals. We are funded by European (e.g., ERC) and national funders (e.g., UKRI, EPSRC, ESRC) and carry out targeted studies commissioned by global, national and local transport bodies.
For more on our project partners and collaborators, see External affiliates | Choice Modelling Centre (CMC)

Contact us

Email: Professor Charisma Choudhury or Dr Thomas Hancock