Behavior Of Urban Residents Research Articles

The Development of Leisure Sports in Big Cities in China from the Perspective of Ecological Civilization

Leisure sports is a combination of leisure and sports. Urban leisure sports are the instinctive needs of urban residents to cope with the “urban disease.” It caters to the current urban value demands of optimizing residents’ lives and conforms to the development of “Better City, Better Life” trend. This article comprehensively uses literature research, comparative research, system analysis, questionnaire surveys, and case studies to explore the relevant theories of urban leisure sports. Taking Xi’an as an example, we carry out a practical survey of urban leisure sports, including the expression of needs and behaviors of urban residents’ restrictions, feedback on the supply of urban leisure sports, and analysis of its existing problems. Investigation results show that ecological civilization and the development of urban leisure sports are an interactive process. Ecological civilization is the external thrust of the vigorous development of urban leisure sports, and leisure sports is a means of ecological civilization construction. “For good health” is the primary factor that stimulates people’s leisure sports behaviors. Among the restrictions that affect urban residents’ participation in leisure sports, lack of partners is the main interpersonal restriction. The current development of urban leisure sports is faced with problems such as the squeeze of urban life and ecological space, poor air quality, lack of leisure sports facilities, insufficient opening of leisure sports resources, and insufficient guarantees for leisure sports funds. It is recommended to optimize the urban “production, living, and ecological” spatial layout and continuously extend the urban leisure and sports space through the organic renewal of urban space, spatial reuse, and rational development of vertical space. On the basis of understanding the laws of urban development, the exploration of the laws of the development of urban leisure sports must coordinate with the development of urban ecology, economy, and culture.

Influencing Factors on the Household-Waste-Classification Behavior of Urban Residents: A Case Study in Shanghai.

As the process of urbanization in China continues to accelerate, the amount of domestic waste generated correspondingly increases and directly affects the living space of residents. This indirectly implies that to reduce the production of municipal solid waste and the need for garbage disposal and recycling, household-waste-classification activities by the residents are of great significance. Using Shanghai as a case study, this study investigated the influencing factors on residents’ household waste classification by conducting a survey. Statistical analysis was then adopted, which is specified below. First, this study proposed research hypotheses related to the influencing factors of residents’ domestic-waste-sorting behavior from three levels: government, society and individuals. Second, the study designed a questionnaire from five perspectives: individual characteristic variables, government, society, residents and classification behavior. Then, SPSS software was used to carry out descriptive statistical, reliability and validity assessments using ANOVA, correlation and regression analyses on the sample data obtained from the questionnaire. The results suggested that the research hypotheses were statistically significant: (1) females and residents with higher education were more likely to participate in domestic waste classification; (2) reward and punishment measures had the most significant impact on residents’ waste-classification behavior; and (3) publicity and education, classification standards, classification facilities, the recycling system, subjective norms, environmental knowledge and environmental attitudes all had a positive effect on residents’ household waste classification. Finally, based on the results of the empirical analysis, this paper provides reference suggestions for the further development of domestic waste classification in Shanghai.

Modeling Tourists’ Departure Time considering the Influence of Multisource Traffic Information

The development of tourism brings economic benefits as well as additional pressure on the urban traffic system. For example, the travel time of tourists coincides with the rush hour of urban residents’ daily commuting. Limited urban traffic resources cannot meet the travel needs of tourists and urban residents at the same time, resulting in traffic congestion and low travel efficiency. Now, with the development of intelligent technology, tourists can obtain real-time information about transportation systems through various channels and adjust their travel behavior accordingly. This study shows tourists’ travel behavior based on a survey conducted to the tourists in Yangzhou city. 1500-interview data are analyzed, and a Multinomial Logit Model (MNL) was employed to establish the probability prediction model of tourists’ departure time choice. The results presented that sync traffic information and some other tourism-related factors determine the choice of tourists’ departure time. These factors distinguish the travel behavior of tourists from the daily travel behavior of urban residents. This study can provide suggestions for the urban tourism management department to formulate more targeted and efficient policies while creating a more comfortable tourism environment for tourists.

How Could the Dockless Bike Share Programs Impact on Travel Behaviors of Urban Residents in China? (2nd Highest Scoring Researcher Abstract Award Sponsored by Mackie Research)

How Could the Dockless Bike Share Programs Impact on Travel Behaviors of Urban Residents in China? (2nd Highest Scoring Researcher Abstract Award Sponsored by Mackie Research)

Best Practices for Engaging Underserved Populations

This work developed and applied a set of “best practices” when engaging marginalized populations to collect data, attitudes, and opinions around a research topic. To support city stakeholders making decisions to create more sustainable and equitable cities, data-driven simulation models are being developed. To ensure that these models are equitable, the needs of marginalized populations must be included. The challenge, however, in understanding these needs is that researchers have often struggled to reach and engage underserved populations. The best practices were developed by reviewing the literature from areas such as psychology, communication, and community planning. These best practices (Earn Trust Through Partnership, Be Multilingual & Inclusive, Communicate for Understanding, Respect Work Schedules and Cultural Norms, and Offer Something Useful) were then applied to the design of a data collection exercise for the study of weatherization decision making and behaviors of urban residents in an economically disadvantaged community. The results of the process were positive with high levels of participation and engagement. The use of the best practices allowed the researchers to better engage with the population, to the benefit of both groups. The development of these best practices will aid researchers in better engaging underserved populations across many areas of study.

Where Urban Residents Shop for Produce

There is limited research documenting the shopping behaviors of urban residents with regard to where they shop for fruits and vegetables. This study sought to: (1) describe characteristics of consumers who shop for produce at supermarkets, alternative fresh food outlets, and farmers' markets; and (2) identify correlates of farmers' market shopping among urban consumers. Participants were recruited from 30 randomly selected residential blocks in West and Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to complete a cross-sectional survey. Of 622 residents contacted, 82.6 percent completed a usable survey. Participants were predominantly African American (75.2 percent), single (47 percent), and receiving public assistance (30.1 percent). About half of the respondents reported shopping at farmers' markets (48.2 percent), produce stores (47.9 percent), and/or fruit and vegetable trucks (48.0 percent percent) for produce. Having vouchers for farmers' markets was significantly associated with shopping at those markets, being younger, and not owning a car. Our analysis begins to bridge the gap in understanding how individual-level differences may influence shopping patterns. Findings suggest that financial incentives to shop at farmers' markets can be meaningful contributors to shopping at these venues and may work to support the narrowing of disparities in access to healthy, affordable food.

Behavior of urban residents toward the discarding of waste electrical and electronic equipment: a case study in Baoding, China

The volume of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is growing rapidly worldwide, making its management difficult; therefore, this should be improved as a matter of urgency. WEEE includes both essential household appliances [including televisions, refrigerators, and washing machines; but not air conditioners, where the consumption mode is more like information, communication and technology (ICT)] ICT equipment (also called high-tech household appliances). In the present study, Baoding, a medium-sized, prefecture-level city in north central China with a population of 11 million, including 1.1 million urban residents, was selected as a representative city for an investigation of recycling behaviors. A valid sample size of 346 households in Baoding was investigated, and categorized into various income and educational levels. The results showed that the major reason for discarding WEEE was malfunction of the appliance, accounting for 52% of disposals. Surveyed households with either high income or good education were more likely to consume high-tech household appliances, attracted by advanced technology, versatile functions or flexibility of use. Personal computer ownership rates were highest in households with a high income and good education-1.2 and 0.9 per home respectively. WEEE was most often sold to peddlers or hawkers from where the WEEE flowed into the second-hand market to be refurbished or repaired, and then re-sold. However, 56.3% of residents in the college community were in support of charging consumers for disposal and 61.7% were in support of including a disposal surcharge in the purchase price of new products-a percentage approximately three times that for high-income residents. Thus, high educational level appears to be currently the most important factor in raising the potential of a household's willingness to pay for WEEE treatment cost. The findings of this study can be used to develop sound recycling systems for WEEE in mainland China.

Designing a Structural Model for Explaining Environmental Attitude and Behavior of Urban Residents (Case of Tehran)

Earlier, environmental problems have been considered as technical and economic problems. In the last decades of the twentieth century the societal dimensions of environmental problems and environmental issues attracted more public attention. As a result of this circumstances a new social scientific discipline, “environmental sociology” was appeared to investigate the environmental behavior of the societies. This paper is an attempt to investigate the environmental issue in grate Tehran and design a structural model for explaining environmental Attitude and behavior of urban residents. To achieve this objective a conceptual model derived out from review of literature to examine structural relations among personal factors, attitude towards environment and environmental behavior. To examine this model, 1200 individuals of Tehran residents were randomly chosen and interviewed about their opinion on environmental legislations, environmental knowledge and information, environmental attitude and behavior. The results of this study show that for Tehran residents the environment is not yet thought to be an important problem, when compared with other social and economic issues. Overall, results of the survey show that people are ready to spend time or to organize themselves to take part in a campaign to protect the environment, but they believe that money for environmental protection should come from the government. The structural model indicates that, feeling of stress, environmental information, preparedness to act and environmental legislation have an important impact on environmental attitude and behavior.

Analysis of changes in the attitude and behavior of urban residents caused by provision of information regarding suburban agriculture

Analysis of changes in the attitude and behavior of urban residents caused by provision of information regarding suburban agriculture

Analysis of changes in the attitude and behavior of urban residents caused by provision of information regarding suburban agriculture

Analysis of changes in the attitude and behavior of urban residents caused by provision of information regarding suburban agriculture

Family Planning Attitudes in Urban Indonesia: Findings from Focus Group Research

Although the Indonesian national family planning program achieved high acceptance and continuation rates in rural areas, the urban program was lagging, especially in major cities. To investigate the family planning attitudes and behavior of urban residents, 20 focus group sessions were conducted in Jakarta among 10 categories of respondents: 3 groups of married women with children, and 3 groups of men (current users, former users, and never users); married women without children; unmarried women; women about to be married; and older women. Groups were conducted at 2 educational levels for each of the 10 categories: those with 6 years or less of education, and those educated beyond the 6 year level. Attitudes and feelings on 8 subjects (marriage, early childbearing, family size, the concept of family planning, contraceptive decision making, awareness of birth control, and attitudes toward various specific methods) as well as the general awareness of family planning facilities and information sources about family planning, are reported.