Predicting Community Support for Park Development Using Social Exchange Theory

Community support plays a crucial role in driving financial investments, managing system enhancements, ecological initiatives, and governance improvements in urban park development. This study adopts Social Exchange Theory (SET) to analyze and predict the dynamics of community support for urban park development, focusing on the interplay between community attachment, perceived benefits, and perceived costs. SET posits that positive initial perceptions or actions foster trust and commitment through relational exchanges, encouraging continued participation, whereas negative perceptions may inhibit engagement. Based on data from 349 survey responses (58.5% male, 32.4% female, 9.1% undisclosed) collected in Onyang-dong, a region notable for its historic thermal spring attractions in South Korea, this study employs structural equation modeling to examine how these factors contribute to community support. The results demonstrate that community attachment significantly enhances perceived benefits while perceived costs exert a negligible effect on community support. These findings provide actionable insights for strengthening the theoretical and practical application of SET in community-driven urban park initiatives. By addressing conceptual clarity and fostering participatory strategies that enhance community attachment, this study offers a robust framework for achieving long-term success in urban park development.