Gendered rigidity of space-time constraints and human activity patterns: An activity-based approach

The space-time fixity constraint that binds activities to specific times and places has long been considered an important concept in transportation research. However, only few studies to date have directly examined differences in the space-time fixity of everyday activities. Based on the activity-based approach to travel behavior, and using space-time activity diary data collected in Columbus (Ohio, USA), this study investigates how variations in fixity levels are associated with activity type, other activity attributes, and the personal, household and geographical background of the person pursuing the activity. It considers whether these associations differ between men and women in order to advance our understanding of how space-time constraints operate differently in the everyday lives of men and women. The results suggest that context matters: fixity levels depend not just on activity type but also on when, where, for how long, with whom an activity is conducted, as well as on the background of the person initiating the activity, and some of these effects differ systematically between men and women.