Place Generator & Place Interpreter: A new methodology to understand regular mobility patterns

Abstract When observing the temporal trajectory of an individual, there is a high probability of visiting a known place; this is due to the central component of habit and routine in human mobility behavior. To understand those routine activities, we propose a new survey method: the Place Generator & the Place Interpreter, based on the name generator and name interpreter survey methodology for ego-centric social networks. In the survey, we asked the participants to name the locations they regularly visit for leisure, by category. This methodology captures the characteristics of the locations and the reasons to be chosen. We tested the methodology in the Zurich Metropolitan Area in Switzerland, focusing on urban leisure activities and the social environment of the locations. Hence, we ask the individuals to describe the reasons for choosing that specific location and the socio-demographic characteristics of the other visitors. This methodology worked well when compared with earlier long-duration GPS tracking surveys. Respondents report, on average, 9.85 locations for nine types of locations, mainly supermarkets and restaurants or cafes, and respondents can describe their similarities with other visitors to that location. The survey is complemented with a survey of sociodemographic characteristics and the respondent's ego-centric social network to get information on social connections and their impact on leisure activity.