The Impact of Soundscape Perception in Neighborhood Green Spaces on the Psychological Restoration of Residents:A Case Study Based on the Central Urban Area of Nanjing

LI Qianru; ZHANG Min

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1000-0232.2025.10.005

Abstract：Enhancing the health benefits of human settlements has become a core issue for efforts to promote high-quality development during rapid urbanization.Urban green spaces serve as critical venues for mental health restoration.However,existing research predominantly focuses on visual landscape features in forest parks and suburban green areas,paying less attention to neighborhood green spaces frequently visited by residents in high-density cities.In particular,the soundscape characteristics of these neighborhood green spaces,together with their underlying psychological restoration mechanisms,have been undervalued.At the same time,their role in strengthening affective bonds is often neglected.To address these gaps,a restorative theory was developed for the analysis of neighborhood green spaces;this theory can be used to systematically investigate the influencing mechanism of soundscape perception on the psychological restoration of residents.In turn,the results can provide theoretical and practical guidance to optimize soundscape design in neighborhood green spaces. A theoretical model was constructed to examine the mediating role of affective bonds(place attachment and nature connectedness)in the relationship between soundscape perception and psychological restoration.The model uses audio-visual naturalness(AVN)as a contextual moderator.It was applied to the case study based on 47 residential neighborhoods in the central urban area of Nanjing.Combined with soundscape perception surveys,acoustic environment measurements,and remote sensing images,structural equation modeling(SEM)was used to study the action mechanism of soundscape perception in neighborhood green spaces on psychological restoration of residents.In addition,the effects of AVN on action pathways of soundscape restoration were discussed through model grouping. The study yielded several key research results.(1)The direct effect of soundscape perception on psychological restoration is primarily manifested through acoustic quietness,while acoustic pleasantness and coordination barely exert any direct effects.In this connection,the following hierarchical progression applies:acoustic quietness → acoustic pleasantness→ acoustic coordination.This progression indicates that a quiet environment with low interference is the basis for psychological restoration,and fundamental denoising is the prerequisite for creating restorative soundscape.(2)The indirect effect of soundscape perception on psychological restoration is mainly realized through acoustic pleasantness and coordination.Acoustic pleasantness and coordination enhance psychological restoration indirectly by strengthening place attachment and natural connectedness.Furthermore,the mediating effect of place attachment is stronger than that of natural connectedness.This reveals the deep action pathways of soundscape perception relative to the psychological restoration of residents in daily scenes,indicating that enhancing emotional value and place attributes are effective measures for amplifying the restorative benefits of soundscapes.(3)AVN positively moderates the soundscape-restoration pathway.In high-AVN environments,the direct effect of acoustic pleasantness is significantly intensified,and the mediating role of place attachment is substantially reinforced.This confirms the synergistic advantage of coordinated natural elements in enhancing restoration experiences. This study elucidates the influencing mechanisms of soundscape perception in neighborhood green spaces on the psychological restoration of residents,thereby deepening the understanding of functional pathways underlying health benefits of green spaces.It supplements empirical evidence from daily scenes and expands the application scenes of the theory.Research results provide some scientific reference points for health-oriented soundscape optimization.Moreover,three practical suggestions were proposed:(1)using denoising as the basic design principle;(2)enhancing the emotional value and place attributes of soundscapes;and(3)implementing synergistic AVN strategies.These suggestions can be used provide precise soundscape interventions to improve the health benefits of human settlement in neighborhoods.