Space-time behavior research and application in China

Abstract

The space-time behavior approach provides a unique perspective for understanding complex relationships between human activity and urban environments in space and time (Hanson and Hanson 1993; Kwan 2002a; Miller 2004). Built largely on the theoretical framework of time geography proposed by Hägerstrand (1970), spacetime behavior research has grown into an influential approach in urban geography, urban planning and transportation planning (Dijst 1999; Kwan 2002b; Timmermans et al. 2002). Recently, this approach has enjoyed even greater popularity and impact in contemporary theoretical and methodological debates, a wider variety of empirical topics, and more active engagement with planning practices, thanks to the development of GIS-based analytic tools and high-quality individual space-time activity data (Kwan 2004; Shaw and Yu 2009; Neutens et al. 2011).