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Integrating Territorial Intelligence and Behavioral Insights in Urban Residential Decision-Making: Evidence from a Mixed-Methods Study in Casablanca, Morocco

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Understanding why households choose particular urban neighborhoods requires bridging traditional rational-choice explanations with emerging evidence on cognitive, social, and informational influences. This study investigates how territorial intelligence (TI)—defined as the availability and use of spatial data, planning information, and participatory knowledge platforms—interacts with behavioral factors to shape residential relocation decisions. Employing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, we surveyed 356 recent movers in Casablanca, Morocco, and conducted 20 follow-up semi-structured interviews. Quantitative analysis shows that each additional consulted data source increased the odds of selecting a central, transit-rich location by 45 %, while prior awareness of development plans raised those odds by 60 %, controlling for income, tenure, affordability, dwelling attributes, and socio-demographics. Data use also predicted higher post-move satisfaction, particularly when individual housing preferences aligned with chosen locations. Qualitative findings reveal that residents view territorial data as a tool for “future-proofing” but also experience information overload, leading some to revert to heuristics or social advice. The interplay of rational cost–benefit logic, bounded cognitive processing, and TI-mediated knowledge underscores the need for planning strategies that combine economic fundamentals with behaviorally informed data provision. By integrating micro-level decision evidence with the territorial intelligence framework, the study offers practical guidance for urban planners aiming to nudge residential choices toward more sustainable, policy-consistent outcomes.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su172210391

Authors: Zakaria Belabbes, Siham Ikhmim, Atman Dkhissi

Institutions: Université Ibn-Tofail, Université Hassan II Mohammedia, University of Hassan II Casablanca

Language: English

Topic: Place Attachment and Urban Studies

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896