Examining neighborhood environmental effects on residents’ social interaction patterns: A case study in Shanghai suburbs

Neigh bor hood interaction is an important way for residents to obtain economic and emotional support, which has a significant impact on subjective well-being and physical and mental health. However, in the context of large- scale urban transformation, suburbanization, and informatization, stable and close social relationships within communities are gradually decreasing. Residents' social interactions are no longer limited to within their communities. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the level of social interaction within and outside communities and explore how neigh bour hood environments influence residents' social interaction patterns. Drawing on the daily activity and travel survey data collected in 2017 in Shanghai, this study classified residents' social interaction patterns into four categories—negative socializers, intra community socializers, intercommunity socializers, and active socializers—based on the number of regular contacts and whether they live inside the same community or outside the community. Furthermore, this study examined the impact of neighbourhood environments on the social interaction patterns of residents. The results show that: 1) Suburban residents in Shanghai have a large scale of social interaction, while the level of neigh bor hood interaction within communities is relatively low. 2) The public activity space within a community, such as outdoor recreational facilities and small-scale commercial outlets, as well as a positive perception of the community's aesthetic appeal effectively improve the level of residents' neigh bor hood interaction. 3) Residents living in the outer suburbs and gated communities tend to have a higher level of social interaction outside the community. 4) In terms of socioeconomic attributes, the length of residence, housing property ownership, marital status, education level, employment situation, and family income play a role in residents' social interaction patterns. We argue that the quality and utilization rate of public space and facilities should be improved, and differentiated strategies in the planning and construction of communities should be used with different locations and demographic structures. The research provides a basis for the optimization of community environment oriented by promoting neigh bor hood communication and optimizing the mode of social interactions.