Meanings
alternative motornormativity
- neologismuncountableAn unconscious cognitive bias in which the assumption is made that motor car ownership and use is an unremarkable social norm.
Decisions about motor transport, by individuals and policy-makers, show unconscious biases due to cultural assumptions about the role of private cars - a phenomenon we term motonormativity.
[2023 December 13, Ian Walker, Alan Tapp, Adrian Davis, “Motonormativity: how social norms hide a major public health hazard”, in International Journal of Environment and Health, volume 11, number 1, →DOI, →ISSN, pages 21–33Synonyms: car brain, windshield bias
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn unconscious cognitive bias in which the assumption is made that motor car ownership and use is an unremarkable social norm.
Origin
From moto- (“motor car”) + normativity. Coined by professors Ian Walker, Alan Tapp, and Adrian Davis from Swansea University in a 2023 study.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Portuguese motonormatividade, motornormatividade
- motonormatividadecognitive bias
- motornormatividadecognitive bias
Cite this entry
motonormativity. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motonormativity
“motonormativity.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motonormativity. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “motonormativity,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motonormativity.
Source: motonormativity on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.