Social Functions Performing by Car Culture: Mixed Research

This research examines social aspects of a comprehensive automobility culture. The key purpose of the study is to identify mechanisms for implementation of automobile culture social functions, which are considered within micro- and macro level. Theoretical framework is based on the assumption that social functions of automobile culture can be revealed through types automobile construction on individual level. This idea implies that automobile culture and types automobile construction on individual level can be analyzed as dual reality, which mutually structure each other. Mixed-method strategy was applied: qualitative design assumed semi-structured interviews, while quantitative design was accomplished on the basis of the gamified online test. 12 semi-structured interviews with drivers, who apply self-driving, were examined within the framework of grounded theory. This allows to distinguish 3 types of automobile contruction: enthusiast, exploiter and ambivalent depending on several attributes combination (for instance, orientation on acknowledged importance of automobile, evaluation of emotional affinity to automobile etc.). Qualitative design implies attempt to approve empirically types of automobile constructuion. The author managed to make a pilot-study of gamified test, which exposes that ambivalent type of automobile construction take transitional place between enthusiast and exploiter types.