Greater place attachment to urban parks enhances relaxation: Examining affective and cognitive responses of locals and bi-cultural migrants to virtual park visits

Abstract

This work is an experimental contribution to assessing the relationship between place attachment and well-being in urban parks in a mobility and migratory context. Using virtual park visits, we aimed at finding out whether place attachment and familiarity with parks are related to physiological responses, i.e. relaxation/arousal. The experimental study involved bi-cultural residents and locals who were invited to experience two comparable urban parks in an audio-visual laboratory. The virtual visit included a Persian Garden in Iran and a historic park in Switzerland. During the session, subjects’ affective responses were measured via skin conductance activity and a questionnaire was used to collect information on aspects of place attachment/identity and perceptual properties. Statistical analyses show that place attachment and familiarity with the cultural background of a park have a significant influence on the affective responses, particularly relaxation. In addition, we find some experimental evidence that measurable place attachment has developed among bi-cultural migrants in their new place of residence. Results fit well to theories of place attachment that are compiled in the article.