New Ecological Paradigm, Leisure Motivation, and Wellbeing Satisfaction: A Comparative Analysis of Recreational Use of Urban Parks before and after the COVID-19 Outbreak

Yanju Luo, Jinyang Deng, Chad Pierskalla, Ju-hyoung Lee and Jiayao Tang
Additional contact information
Yanju Luo: School of Tourism, Hainan Normal University, No. 99 Longkun South Road, Haikou 571158, China
Jinyang Deng: Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources Program, School of Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Chad Pierskalla: Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources Program, School of Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Ju-hyoung Lee: Department of Forest Resources, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, Korea
Jiayao Tang: School of Architecture, Academy of Art University, 16076 Blazewood Way, San Diego, CA 92127, USA

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 8, 1-28

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has created an opportunity for us to rethink the relationship between humans and the environment. However, few studies have examined the association between environmental attitudes, motivations, wellbeing, and quality of life in the context of urban green areas before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. This paper investigated the interrelationships among these variables based on data collected in 2019 (before COVID-19) and 2021 (after COVID-19). The results show that the 2021 sample differed significantly from the 2019 sample in environmental attitudes. Respondents after the outbreak with the belief in “humans with nature” were more likely to use urban green areas for being “close to nature” than pre-pandemic respondents. In addition, stronger belief in “humans over nature” led to stronger desire for “social interactions” in 2021 than in 2019, implying a close relationship between people’s perception of humankind’s ability to control nature during the pandemic and their desire to interact with people in urban green areas. The study also found that there may be a pent-up satisfaction among urban dwellers after the COVID-19 outbreak.

Keywords: COVID-19; NEP; motivation; urban green areas; SEM (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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