A GEOGRAPHICAL STUDIES OF SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING FROM A SPACE-TIME BEHAVIOR APPROACH

Ling-ling SU; Su-hong ZHOU

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HUMAN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2025

A GEOGRAPHICAL STUDIES OF SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING FROM A SPACE-TIME BEHAVIOR APPROACH

Ling-ling SU ¹^,² ,
Su-hong ZHOU ³^,⁴^,*

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Abstract

Traditional geography has long focused on spatial heterogeneity characteristics and the mechanisms of geographic environmental effects in subjective well-being research. However, the research paradigm based on static neighborhood effects has significant limitations, particularly in neglecting the dynamic impact of individual spatial mobility on geographic environmental exposure. This paper first systematically reviews the concepts and measurement methods of subjective well-being, elucidates the theoretical origins of geography's involvement in subjective well-being research from the perspective of disciplinary development history, and critiques studies on the relationship between geographic environments and subjective well-being. Secondly, based on philosophical and methodological innovations, it proposes a shift in the paradigm of geographic subjective well-being research towards spatiotemporal behavior. That is, from static locational analysis to dynamic behavioral tracking, from environmental determinism to human-environment interaction theory, and from cross-sectional studies to process research. Thirdly, the paper constructs a geographic research framework for subjective well-being based on the coupling of time, space, and human behavior. It also outlines future research directions from three dimensions of theoretical construction, pattern and mechanism mining, and innovative application scenarios. This provides theoretical support for building a perceptible and quantifiable evaluation system for happy cities, aiming to offer references for the formulation of happy city policies and refined urban governance.

Key words

subjective well-being / spatiotemporal behavior / geographical context / mobility

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Ling-ling SU , Su-hong ZHOU. A GEOGRAPHICAL STUDIES OF SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING FROM A SPACE-TIME BEHAVIOR APPROACH[J]. HUMAN GEOGRAPHY. 2025

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