Work

Urban tourism: How sensory impressions reshape pro-environmental behaviors

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: In the context of urban tourism, the sensory experience arising from tourists' interaction with the city plays an important role in shaping their pro-environmental behaviors. Nevertheless, existing research on this topic remains limited. The present study examines how urban tourists' pro-environmental behaviors are associated with their sensory impressions of the urban destination. The results suggest that: (1) sensory impressions are related to tourists' pro-environmental behaviors, both directly and indirectly, through the sequential pathways of social connectedness and subjective well-being. (2) Compared with tourists reporting lower levels of self-esteem, those with higher self-esteem tend to report stronger social networks. (3) Tourists with higher self-esteem also report higher levels of subjective well-being than their counterparts with lower self-esteem. By clarifying the conditions under which sensory impressions are linked to the pro-environmental behaviors of urban tourists, this study adds to the understanding of urban environmental behaviors.

Source: Acta Psychologica

DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.106156

Authors: Yunjie Bai, Biao Luo, Mengyu Zhang

Institutions: Hefei University of Technology, Ningxia University, Xinhua College of Ningxia University

Language: English

Topic: Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,670