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Expanding Social, Psychological, and Physical Indicators of Urbanites’ Life Satisfaction toward Residential Community: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

Author

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  • Chuanyu Peng

    (School of Public Affairs and Law, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China)

  • Guoping Yuan

    (School of Public Affairs and Law, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China)

  • Yanhui Mao

    (Psychological Research and Counseling Center, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
    Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, China)

  • Xin Wang

    (School of Public Affairs and Law, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China)

  • Jianhong Ma

    (Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, China)

  • Marino Bonaiuto

    (CIRPA—Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca in Psicologia Ambientale, Dipartimento di Psicologia dei Processi di Sviluppo e Socializzazione, Sapienza Universitá di Roma, 00185 Roma, Italy)

Abstract

Attention on, and interest in, life satisfaction has increased worldwide. However, research on life satisfaction focused toward the urban dwellers’ residential community is mainly from western countries, and the limited research from China is solely focused on the geriatric population via a narrowly constrained research perspective. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate urbanites’ life satisfaction toward their community, combining the psychological (behavioral community engagement, mental state of flow, and cognitive community identity), physical (PREQIs-perceived residential environment quality indicators: e.g., green area), and social perspectives (social capital). The proposed conceptual model was tested on a regionally representative sample of 508 urban community residents in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan province, China. Data were analyzed via a structure equation modelling approach in AMOS software. Findings suggested that all of the psychological, physical and social factors contributed to a prediction of life satisfaction. Specifically, social capital mediated the path from community engagement and flow to life satisfaction, and community identity mediated the path from flow experience and green area to life satisfaction. Additionally, social capital contributed to predict life satisfaction through its influence on community identity. Findings provide suggestions for urban designers and policymakers to focus on creating an urban community equipped with green area, which helps to promote physical activities that are flow-productive, to enhance residents’ identification to their residential community and, therefore, increase life satisfaction.

Suggested Citation

  • Chuanyu Peng & Guoping Yuan & Yanhui Mao & Xin Wang & Jianhong Ma & Marino Bonaiuto, 2020. "Expanding Social, Psychological, and Physical Indicators of Urbanites’ Life Satisfaction toward Residential Community: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-23, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2020:i:1:p:4-:d:466197
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    References listed on IDEAS

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