The symbolic meaning participants attributed to BEVs was assessed using a vignette exercise in which they were asked to imagine a person driving a BEV, and attribute personality traits to the driver via a series of questions on behaviours the driver
was likely to exhibit. This approach was based onMiller’s (2009)theory of consumer purchase and use of goods, in which consumers are motivated to choose goods that signal aspects of their five-factor personality profiles (Costa and McCrae,1995), and their general intelligence.