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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Environmental Psychology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1465737
This article is part of the Research Topic Current Perspectives in Theory and Research on the Role of Gender in Environmental Psychology View all articles

Gender differences in the effects of urban environment on nighttime exercise behaviours: A qualitative study

Provisionally accepted
Yuqin Su Yuqin Su 1Xiaoli Pan Xiaoli Pan 1Yike Li Yike Li 1Guanchong Li Guanchong Li 1Guodong Zhang Guodong Zhang 1,2*
  • 1 Southwest University, Chongqing, China
  • 2 Krirk University, Bangkok, Thailand

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Objective: With the acceleration of urbanization, nighttime exercise behaviours have rapidly emerged. Existing research indicates a correlation between urban environments and physical activity; however, studies focusing specifically on nighttime are still insufficient, particularly regarding gender differences. This study aims to identify the key factors in urban environments that influence residents' nighttime exercise behaviours and to explore the gender differences within these influences.Methods: Purposeful sampling was employed to conduct semi-structured interviews with 30 residents who regularly engage in nighttime exercise. All transcribed interviews were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological data analysis method.The findings revealed that physical environment and environmental perception are the two primary factors influencing nighttime exercise behaviour.These factors are further divided into ten specific sub-themes: lighting, green spaces, site facilities and layout, traffic coherence, entertainment facilities, smart sports equipment, sense of safety, convenience, pleasure, and sense of belonging.Females demonstrate a heightened sensitivity to the perception of the physical environment, placing greater emphasis on the feelings and experiences it provides. Males, on the other hand, focus more on the direct impact of the physical environment, such as its specific effects on exercise performance. Future urban planning and public policy should give greater consideration to gender differences in the use of urban exercise facilities, ensuring that nighttime exercise environments meet the needs of residents of different genders. This approach will contribute to enhancing overall community vitality and improving residents' health.

    Keywords: urban environment, Nighttime Exercise, behaviors, gender, qualitative study

    Received: 16 Jul 2024; Accepted: 30 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Su, Pan, Li, Li and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Guodong Zhang, Southwest University, Chongqing, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.