Restorative Effects of Park Visiting on Physiology, Psychology, and Society and the Factors Influencing Park Visiting

Abstract

Park visits are beneficial for people’s physical and psychological health, as well as for the development of social relationships. This study investigated the degree of recovery of physical, psychological, and social aspects of residents in different types of parks and the influence of socio-demographic factors, personal factors, residential space attributes, and park characteristics on park visitation. The results show that tourists visiting urban parks have higher physiological and social recovery than those visiting suburban parks and that there are significant differences. Physical exercise, rest and relaxation, and spending time with family and children were the three most prevalent factors influencing park visits, while time constraints were the most important reason why residents failed to use parks. Socio demographics, residential spatial attributes, individual variables, and park characteristics explained 13.6%, 16.7%, 4.6%, and 2.9% of the total variance in park visit frequency, respectively. Residential green space, age, children under age seven, time spent in residential green space, willingness to spend time in nature, greenery, maintenance, and amenities were positively associated with park use. Income, education, home price, and distance from home to the park were negatively associated with park use. These findings have implications for park management and for future research.