Perceived Safety in the Neighborhood: Exploring the Role of Built Environment, Social Factors, Physical Activity and Multiple Pathways of Influence

Abstract

Considering the sensitivity to environmental safety is rooted in human genes, the external variables that affect the perception of environmental safety and their influence mechanisms have become a point of concern. The existing literature has proven that elements of the built environment are vital influencing factors; however, little is known about the mechanism by which the built environment affects perceived safety and multiple influence pathways have been ignored. To define the concept of perceived safety, this article applies a structural equation model to study the relationship between the built environment and residents’ safety perception with the social environment and physical activity as potential mediators. The statistical results suggest that the variables of the built environment, social factors, and physical activity all significantly influence perceived safety. This finding also reveals that the social environment and group physical activities slightly mediate the relationship, proving that the built environment exerts both direct and indirect effects on perceived safety. This study provides evidence that built environment design is more important than previously thought because it contributes positively to the social atmosphere and encourages the passion for physical activities, which are also beneficial to safety perception.

The Impact of Urban Built Environments on Elderly People’s Sense of Safety and Adaptation to Aging: A Case Study of Three Major Urban Agglomerations in China

“…Zeng et al developed a specific scale to measure sense of safety [15]; this work draws on their research scale on residential sense of safety, and the scale is strictly revised according to the program for use. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value of the scale in this work is 0.933, and the Bartlett sphere test is significant.…”

“…However, most research on elderly people's sense of safety revolves around the built environment, and a comprehensive mechanism for safety impacts is still poorly understood. A few studies suggest that social environmental characteristics have direct and indirect effects on safety [13][14][15]. Urban greening (such as street trees and parks) plays a significant role in building elderly communities [16].…”