Understanding effects of daily activity on neighborhood belongingness: A Chinese perspective

Abstract

Neighborhood belongingness plays a significant role in promoting social cohesion. Existing research highlights the direct impacts of daily activity, neighborhood social networks, and perceived neighborhood cohesion on neighborhood belongingness. However, the indirect effects of interactions among these three aspects have been less explored, and less attention has been paid to different cultural contexts. This article examines how daily activity type, companion, and location comprehensively influence neighborhood belongingness through mediating effects of neighborhood social networks and perceived neighborhood cohesion, and how three-generation household and danwei neighborhood impact neighborhood belongingness in the Chinese context. To understand these comprehensive impacts, we employ Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using activity diary data and responses to a neighborhood belongingness survey of 195 participants in Beijing. Our findings indicate that the duration of joint household activity and duration in neighborhoods have significant indirect effects on neighborhood belongingness. Residents from three-generation households and danwei housing expressed weaker neighborhood belongingness, but the direct negative effects are mediated by a positive indirect effect through daily activity. The results further our understandings on the complexity and contextuality of neighborhood belongingness. Analysis of the impact of differences in cultural contexts on neighborhood belongingness is advised.