Improving Residents’ Relationship to Public Urban Green Spaces : An interdisciplinary Action-research Project

The numerous benefits linked to the presence of urban green spaces (UGS) are no longer to be demonstrated, whether on a physical level, a psychological level, or regarding our social interactions. Unfortunately, access to UGS of quality remains unequal and UGS in low-income neighborhoods are perceived as less safe, less accessible, and less attractive than UGS in highincome neighborhoods [1]. In this interdisciplinary research-action project, one of the objectives is to better understand the low attendance rate of UGS of a specific high-poverty neighborhood (Seraing, Belgium) and to develop psychosocial interventions aiming to increase UGS attendance rate. During the diagnostic phase of the project, 231 people living in or regularly visiting this pilot area were interviewed. Results showed a significant link between UGS familiarity and UGS attendance, mediated by place attachment, as well as an important feeling of insecurity of residents when attending the UGS. Concerns about safety have often been reported as a barrier to UGS attendance, especially in high-poverty neighborhoods [2], and can prevent the creation of an emotional bond with the space. Based on these results, the main objective was to create a psychosocial intervention aiming to increase perceived security of these UGS by enhancing citizenship behaviors (i.e. positive discretionary behaviors that benefit the place but are not rewarded by city governments [3]) towards these spaces. Previous research has shown that enhancing sense of psychological ownership (PO – i.e. subjective feeling of individuals that an object belongs to them [4]) towards a place will lead individuals to express civic behaviors in this place [3]. Civic behaviors consisting in
helping, protecting and tolerant behaviors [3], they probably will increase the sense of security felt in the UGS. It remains unclear, however, whether PO will also increase actual attendance of this space, and not only positive behaviors once the individual is in the place. In an online pre-test (N = 150), the effects of PO on future UGS attendance intention was examined, independently from place attachment given the strong relationship between these two variables [5]. In this 2x2 design (high/low PO x high/low place attachment), place attachment was manipulated by asking participants to think about a UGS to which they feel a strong or weak emotional bond. PO was manipulated by asking participants to rename this UGS. In high PO condition, participants imagined a name based on the moments they had experienced in this place and elements making this place feel like being their own. In low PO condition, participants imagined a name emphasizing the public aspect of the UGS, which could just as well have been given by the city’s administration. Results show a significant difference of future attendance intention between the high attachment / high PO condition (M = 3.98, SD = 1.68) and the low attachment / low PO condition (M = 2.46, SD = 1.64; t = 2.704, df = 144, p =.038). Based on this, an engaging communication campaign aiming to activate the sense of psychological ownership will be launched between mid-April and mid-May 2022.