Neighborhood Walking and Social Capital: The Correlation between Walking Experience and Individual Perception of Social Capital
by
Heechul Kim 1 and Seungho Yang 2,*
Heechul Kim 1 and Seungho Yang 2,*
1
Department of Urban and Regional Development, Mokpo National University, 1666, Yeongsan-ro, Cheonggye-myeon, Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do 58554, Korea
2
Goyang Research Institute, 60, Taegeuk-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 10393, Korea
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Tan Yigitcanlar
Sustainability 2017, 9(5), 680; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9050680
Received: 20 January 2017 / Revised: 9 April 2017 / Accepted: 13 April 2017 / Published: 27 April 2017
(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)
The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between people’s actual walking experience and their social capital levels in order to examine the possibility of restoring weakened social functions of streets and public spaces in a walking-friendly urban environment. Based on the survey data of 591 residents of Seoul, we empirically analyzed the relationship between walking experience for various purposes and individual perceptions of social capital using one-way ANOVA and OLS regression models. As a result of the analysis, we found that the levels of neighborly trust and networking of people who experienced leisure walking were higher than those of people who did not, while there was no difference in the level of social capital according to walking experiences for other purposes. This result is significant in that it shows the basis for the restoration of the social function of neighborhoods through social capital formation of people as an effect of walking. Hence, it is important to create a walking environment that supports leisure activities.
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Kim, H.; Yang, S. Neighborhood Walking and Social Capital: The Correlation between Walking Experience and Individual Perception of Social Capital. Sustainability 2017, 9, 680.
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