IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i14p10817-d1190738.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How Do Urban Walking Environments Impact Pedestrians’ Experience and Psychological Health? A Systematic Review

Author

Listed:
  • Catherine Sundling

    (Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Södertörn University, Alfred Nobels Allé 7, 141 89 Huddinge, Sweden
    Department of Occupational Health Sciences and Psychology, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies, University of Gävle, 801 76 Gävle, Sweden)

  • Marianne Jakobsson

    (Department of Occupational Health Sciences and Psychology, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies, University of Gävle, 801 76 Gävle, Sweden)

Abstract

Daily walks are recommended for health gains, and walkable urban environments are recommended as one strategy to combat climate change. Evidence of the relationship between physical environments and psychological health is increasing. The aim of this study was to systematically review and compile evidence regarding micro-scale characteristics in urban outdoor environments that impacted pedestrian short-term experience and/or long-term psychological health. The databases ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, PsychInfo, and Google Scholar were used. To explore the area, a large heterogeneity in publications was allowed; therefore, it was not possible to conduct a meta-analysis. From 63 publications, data items were extracted from full text and categorized according to the main study characteristics. Environmental characteristics impacting pedestrians psychologically were identified and categorized into themes: grey, green, blue, and white areas, and weather, temporalities, topography, person factors, and safety. Environmental factors were analyzed from the perspective of the circumplex model of human affect (negative/positive dimensions and activation/deactivation). The findings included the fact that urban pedestrians need both positively activating and deactivating (restorative) areas during walkabouts. Perceived safety is essential for experiencing the positive aspects of urban environments. Some characteristics interact differently or have different importance for health in different groups. To further develop research on pedestrian environments, psychological experiences should be included.

Suggested Citation

  • Catherine Sundling & Marianne Jakobsson, 2023. "How Do Urban Walking Environments Impact Pedestrians’ Experience and Psychological Health? A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-32, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:14:p:10817-:d:1190738
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/14/10817/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/14/10817/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ottoni, Callista A. & Sims-Gould, Joanie & Winters, Meghan & Heijnen, Myrthe & McKay, Heather A., 2016. "“Benches become like porches”: Built and social environment influences on older adults’ experiences of mobility and well-being," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 33-41.
    2. Antonio Zumelzu & Marie Geraldine Herrmann-Lunecke, 2021. "Mental Well-Being and the Influence of Place: Conceptual Approaches for the Built Environment for Planning Healthy and Walkable Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-21, June.
    3. Mizzo Kwon & Andrew C. Pickett & Yunsoo Lee & SeungJong Lee, 2019. "Neighborhood Physical Environments, Recreational Wellbeing, and Psychological Health," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(1), pages 253-271, March.
    4. Mizzo Kwon & Andrew C. Pickett & Yunsoo Lee & SeungJong Lee, 2019. "Correction to: Neighborhood Physical Environments, Recreational Wellbeing, and Psychological Health," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(2), pages 571-572, April.
    5. Teck Hong Tan & Ji Hei Lee, 2022. "Residential environment, third places and well-being in Malaysian older adults," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 162(2), pages 721-738, July.
    6. Finlay, Jessica M., 2018. "‘Walk like a penguin’: Older Minnesotans' experiences of (non)therapeutic white space," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 77-84.
    7. Schafer, Joseph A. & Huebner, Beth M. & Bynum, Timothy S., 2006. "Fear of crime and criminal victimization: Gender-based contrasts," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 285-301.
    8. Arlie Adkins & Jennifer Dill & Gretchen Luhr & Margaret Neal, 2012. "Unpacking Walkability: Testing the Influence of Urban Design Features on Perceptions of Walking Environment Attractiveness," Journal of Urban Design, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(4), pages 499-510.
    9. Fleckney, Paul & Bentley, Rebecca, 2021. "The urban public realm and adolescent mental health and wellbeing: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Eduard Alexandru Dumitru & Rozi Liliana Berevoianu & Valentina Constanta Tudor & Florina-Ruxandra Teodorescu & Dalila Stoica & Andreea Giucă & Diana Ilie & Cristina Maria Sterie, 2023. "Climate Change Impacts on Vegetable Crops: A Systematic Review," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-18, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Noelia Somarriba Arechavala & Pilar Zarzosa Espina & Ana Teresa López Pastor, 2022. "The Importance of the Neighbourhood Environment and Social Capital for Happiness in a Vulnerable District: The Case of the Pajarillos District in Spain," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 1941-1965, June.
    2. Yavuz Alkan, 2023. "Assessment of sustainable green campus in terms of students with disabilities and landscaping: Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(10), pages 11367-11395, October.
    3. Deborah Salvo & Eugen Resendiz & Ana Stefancic & Leopoldo J. Cabassa, 2023. "Examining Place-Based Neighborhood Factors in a Multisite Peer-Led Healthy Lifestyle Effectiveness Trial for People with Serious Mental Illness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(9), pages 1-25, April.
    4. Jae Seung Lee & Sungjin Park & Sanghoon Jung, 2016. "Effect of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) Measures on Active Living and Fear of Crime," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-16, August.
    5. Marie Geraldine Herrmann-Lunecke & Cristhian Figueroa-Martínez & Francisca Parra Huerta & Rodrigo Mora, 2022. "The Disabling City: Older Persons Walking in Central Neighbourhoods of Santiago de Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-19, September.
    6. Ahmad Adeel & Bruno Notteboom & Ansar Yasar & Kris Scheerlinck & Jeroen Stevens, 2021. "Sustainable Streetscape and Built Environment Designs around BRT Stations: A Stated Choice Experiment Using 3D Visualizations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-21, June.
    7. Su Jin Kang & Wonseok Seo, 2020. "The Effects of Multilayered Disorder Characteristics on Fear of Crime in Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-22, December.
    8. Eggimann, Sven, 2022. "Expanding urban green space with superblocks," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    9. Battista, Geoffrey A. & Manaugh, Kevin, 2018. "Stores and mores: Toward socializing walkability," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 53-60.
    10. Francisco Núñez & Elías Albornoz & Mariella Gutiérrez & Antonio Zumelzu, 2022. "Socially Sustainable Accessibility to Goods and Services in the Metropolitan Area of Concepción, Chile, Post-COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-22, October.
    11. Kuen, Kiseong & Weisburd, David & White, Clair & Hinkle, Joshua C., 2022. "Examining impacts of street characteristics on residents' fear of crime: Evidence from a longitudinal study of crime hot spots," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    12. Massingue, Suzanna Allen & Oviedo, Daniel, 2021. "Walkability and the Right to the city: A snapshot critique of pedestrian space in Maputo, Mozambique," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    13. Jinyao Lin & Yaye Zhuang & Yang Zhao & Hua Li & Xiaoyu He & Siyan Lu, 2022. "Measuring the Non-Linear Relationship between Three-Dimensional Built Environment and Urban Vitality Based on a Random Forest Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-18, December.
    14. Pykett, Jessica & Campbell, Niyah & Fenton, Sarah-Jane & Gagen, Elizabeth & Lavis, Anna & Newbigging, Karen & Parkin, Verity & Williams, Jessy, 2023. "Urban precarity and youth mental health: An interpretive scoping review of emerging approaches," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    15. Adrian Buttazzoni & Leia Minaker, 2023. "Associations between adolescent mental health and pedestrian- and transit-oriented urban design qualities: Evidence from a national-level online Canadian survey," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 60(10), pages 1968-1986, August.
    16. Bogyeong Lee & Sungjoo Hwang & Hyunsoo Kim, 2021. "The Feasibility of Information-Entropy-Based Behavioral Analysis for Detecting Environmental Barriers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-14, November.
    17. Valkiria Amaya & Matthias Chardon & Helen Klein & Thibauld Moulaert & Nicolas Vuillerme, 2022. "What Do We Know about the Use of the Walk-along Method to Identify the Perceived Neighborhood Environment Correlates of Walking Activity in Healthy Older Adults: Methodological Considerations Related ," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-37, September.
    18. Mona Jabbari & Fernando Fonseca & Rui Ramos, 2018. "Combining multi-criteria and space syntax analysis to assess a pedestrian network: the case of Oporto," Journal of Urban Design, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(1), pages 23-41, January.
    19. Ulrike Bechtold & Natalie Stauder & Martin Fieder, 2021. "Let’s Walk It: Mobility and the Perceived Quality of Life in Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-14, November.
    20. Tiina E. Laatikainen & Mohammad Haybatollahi & Marketta Kyttä, 2018. "Environmental, Individual and Personal Goal Influences on Older Adults’ Walking in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-19, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:14:p:10817-:d:1190738. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.