Assessment of Influential Factors on Commute and Life Satisfaction in a Historic Campus-Adjacent Environment: Evidence from a Comparison Study of Twin Cities
Publication: Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 151, Issue 1
Abstract
The prevailing social-spatial disorder within urban settings has become pervasive, particularly in the misalignment between policy formulation and social perception. This underscores the potential for effectively promoting sustainable comprehensive planning coordination by measuring commute and life satisfaction metrics. However, more comprehensive research on commute and life satisfaction in complex historical environments and delving into nuanced analyses of the intricate relationships is needed. This study employed Nanjing University and Soochow University in China as a compelling case study, utilizing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to meticulously analyze data from stakeholders’ questionnaires. The research results reveal that personal attributes and community environment impact life satisfaction significantly, particularly with the variables of emotional stability and community services. It also confirms the importance of cultural and educational elements in enhancing individuals’ perceptions. Notably, variations in influencing factors on satisfaction levels are observed across diverse historical campus-adjacent environments (HCAEs), revealing complexities in satisfaction determinants. Additionally, the contradictory relationship between commuting and life satisfaction is evident, underscoring the nonlinear characteristics within satisfaction impact factors. This study elucidates the intricate mechanisms governing satisfaction perceptions in HCAEs, providing reliable guidance and insights for urban regeneration policies and planning decision-making.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, or codes that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This study was funded by the Social Science Foundation of Suzhou (Grant No. Y2024LX049), the National Social Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 20CTY013), the Key Laboratory of Spatial Intelligent Planning Technology, Ministry of Natural Resources (Grant No. 20230303), and the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province (Grant No. 2022J05193). The authors thank the Nanjing University and Soochow University students for assisting with the data collection for the study questionnaire.
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Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 151 • Issue 1 • March 2025
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© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Dec 23, 2023
Accepted: Aug 29, 2024
Published online: Oct 18, 2024
Published in print: Mar 1, 2025
Discussion open until: Mar 18, 2025
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