Lars E Olsson

 
Professor in Psychology

Research

I research the psychology of everyday life, with a particular focus on decision-making, sustainable travel, well-being, quality of life, hope, experiences, accessibility, and motivation for change, as well as the early stages of innovation processes. My point of departure is the individual and the factors that influence and shape behavior, as well as the consequences this entails.

My research is conducted in broad collaboration with researchers from Swedish universities and institutes (for example, Linköping University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the University of Gothenburg, the University of Gävle, Lund University, and VTI), as well as internationally with researchers from, for example, Kyoto University, Utrecht University, the Institute of Transport Economics in Oslo, and Polytechnique Montréal.

I also work closely with the wider community through joint research projects and research programs with regions, municipalities, and companies.

Selected publications

Latest publications (2024-2026):

Westman Trischler, J., Nichols, B., Friman, M., & Olsson, L. E. (2026). Demand-Responsive Transportation (DRT) in Rural Towns: The role of Autonomy and Perceived Accessibility in Inclusive and Sustainable Mobility. Journal of Transport and Sustainability.

Johansson Rehn, H., Friman, M., & Olsson, L. E. (2026). Key events as signifiers for the ‘window of opportunity’ to reduce car use. Transport Research Part A: Policy and Practice.

Olsson, L. E., & Friman, M. (2025). Self-reported dilemmas in choices of daily travel. Journal of Transport and Sustainability.

Nichols, B., Ramos, É., Olsson, L. E., Friman, M., & Bergstad, C. J. (2025). Exploring the social impact of paratransit: A systematic literature review with a micro-level perspective. Case Studies on Transport Policy, 101584.

Støre, S. J., Friman, M., & Olsson, L. E. (2025). The travel-hope framework: bridging hope, travel, and well-being. Transport Reviews, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/01441647.2025.2487075

Böcker, L., Olsson, L. E., Friman, M., & Hoff, S. J. C. (2025). Travel, physical activity, perceived accessibility and mental health during Crisis: Insights from the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Transport & Health, 44, 102115.

Sukhov, A., Sihvonen, A., Huck, J., Olsson, L. E., & Netz, J. (2025). How to Manage Generative Idea Screening. Research-Technology Management, 68(1), 35-45.

Lättman, K., Olsson L.E., & Friman, M. (2024). Perceived Accessibility: Unveiling Inequalities in Transport Justice. Sustainable Transport and Livability, 1(1), 2373050. https://doi.org/10.1080/29941849.2024.2373050

Zarabi, Z., Waygood, E. O. D., Olsson, L., Friman, M., & Gousse-Lessard, A. S. (2024). Enhancing public transport use: The influence of soft pull interventions. Transport Policy.

Johansson Rehn, H., Olsson, L. E., & Friman, M. (2024). A framework of routine transitions in daily travel. Transport Research Part A: Policy and Practice.

Publications