Using Social Media Data to Research the Impact of Campus Green Spaces on Students’ Emotions: A Case Study of Nanjing Campuses

Abstract

Campus green space, as a component of urban green space and the main natural place for college students’ daily contact, has a subliminal effect on their mental health. This study aims to investigate the degree of influence of campus green space on college students’ emotions as well as the main indicators of influence and other scientific issues. Taking the campus green spaces of 44 college campuses in Nanjing as the object of the study, with the help of social media data to research the issue of green spaces and emotional preference, we conducted a difference analysis, constructed an individual-time, double fixed-effects regression model and obtained the corresponding results: (1) significant seasonal and individual differences existed in all green space indicators across the 44 campuses; (2) a significant positive correlation existed between each of the campus green space indicators and college students’ positive emotions; (3) compared with the regression results of the data prior to the New Crown Pneumonia Outbreak (COVID-19), college students’ green sensitivity increased substantially during the outbreak control period, and the health benefits of the campus green spaces were more significant.