Study finds cyclists wearing helmets perceived as “less human” than those who don’t

A recent study from Australia has revealed a concerning phenomenon where a significant portion of the population fails to perceive cyclists as human beings. The study, carried out by Mark Limb from Queensland University of Technology and Sarah Collyer from Flinders University, sheds light on the dehumanizing perceptions surrounding cyclists, particularly those who wear helmets or safety vests.

Published in Volume 95 of “Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour,” (sounds like a real page turner) the research wanted to address the negative attitudes towards cyclists that impede efforts to promote cycling. To achieve this, the survey collected the views of 563 people about cyclists and looked to provide  evidence to explain the underlying causes of these dehumanizing perceptions.

Don’t tell me the cyclist wasn’t wearing a helmet

Out of the 563 participants surveyed, 30 per cent viewed cyclists as “less than fully human,” the study claimed. The researchers specifically investigated wearing helmets and other safety attire that might influence the perception of cyclists.

“We tested this hypothesis through a survey that was comprised of two-paired alternate forced choice questions to identify which image of a cyclist respondents consider to be less human,” the study began.

Three places where cyclists never need to wear a helmet

The study found that cyclists wearing helmets were perceived as less human in comparison to those without helmets, whereas cyclists wearing safety vests without helmets were perceived as the least human.
Also, the research stated that cyclists wearing simply a hat were viewed as more human than those wearing a full helmet.

“Our findings add to this growing research, suggesting that cyclists wearing safety attire, particularly high-visibility vests, may be dehumanized more so than cyclists without safety attire,” the researchers stated.