Participation in green space regeneration fosters active aging behavior in older adults through two psychological pathways—emotional imprint on place and sense of landscape ownership—with meaning in life exhibiting a dual moderating effect that strengthens the emotional imprint-behavior link but attenuates the landscape ownership-behavior link.
Perceived participation in green space regeneration exerts a significant positive effect on emotional imprint on place.
Perceived participation in green space regeneration exerts a significant positive effect on sense of landscape ownership.
Both emotional imprint on place and sense of landscape ownership significantly predict active aging behavior.
Meaning in life moderates the relationship between emotional imprint on place and active aging behavior positively.
Meaning in life attenuates the relationship between sense of landscape ownership and active aging behavior.
Both emotional imprint on place and sense of landscape ownership partially mediate the relationship between participation in green space regeneration and active aging behavior.
The study identified a dual moderating role of meaning in life that reveals opposing influences on two distinct psychological pathways to active aging behavior.
This research suggests that when older adults actively participate in redesigning or improving green spaces in their communities, it produces important psychological benefits that translate into healthier, more engaged aging behavior. Specifically, participation appears to build two distinct psychological states: an emotional attachment to the place (called 'emotional imprint') and a feeling of ownership over the landscape. Both of these psychological states, in turn, were associated with greater 'active aging behavior'—meaning older adults were more physically, socially, and psychologically engaged. The study surveyed 433 adults aged 60 and older living in Chinese communities that had undergone green space regeneration projects. The research also found that a person's sense of meaning in life plays a nuanced 'dual role' in this process. For older adults who already have a strong sense of meaning in life, the emotional connection to a place becomes an even stronger driver of active aging behavior. However, for the same individuals, the feeling of ownership over the landscape actually becomes a weaker motivator. This suggests that as older adults develop a richer sense of life's purpose, their engagement with community spaces shifts away from feelings of possession or control and toward deeper emotional and meaningful connections. This research suggests that community planners and policymakers focused on aging populations should look beyond simply building better physical infrastructure. Involving older adults directly in green space design and regeneration processes—not just as passive users but as active contributors—may be an effective strategy for promoting healthy aging. The findings point to the importance of fostering emotional connections and meaningful engagement with neighborhood environments, which may be especially valuable for supporting older adults' well-being and community participation.
Zhou W, Hu H, Cao Q. (2026). From participation to active aging: the roles of landscape ownership and emotional imprint in community green space regeneration.. Frontiers in public health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1846490