Advancing Cities’ Sustainability: Exploring the Effects of Interaction on the Public’s Perceived Efficacy of Emergency Infrastructure Projects—A Psychological Distance Perspective

Considering that emergency infrastructure projects (EIPs) play a significant role in the response to urgent events globally, the public’s perceived efficacy with respect to EIPs has become increasingly critical guidance for infrastructure systems and advancing cities’ sustainability. The interactions between the public and governments are deemed to be instrumental in enhancing the perceived efficacy. Concurrently, psychological distance, which can influence individuals’ thoughts and behaviors, is seen as a beneficial method of boosting the public’s perception of the effectiveness of EIPs. However, the underlying mechanism linking interaction, psychological distance, and perceived efficacy in relation to EIPs remains largely unexplored. In the current study, a theoretical framework was established through a literature review, leading to the formulation of four hypotheses. These hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling based on data collected from a questionnaire survey of 337 residents regarding Leishenshan Hospital. The findings indicate that, firstly, interaction directly affects the public’s psychological distance and perceived efficacy. Secondly, the public’s psychological distance from EIPs directly affects the public’s perceived efficacy. Thirdly, the public’s psychological distance from EIPs plays a mediating role between interaction and perceived efficacy. These findings enhance the theoretical understanding of Environmental Innovation Policy (EIP) governance, aiming to maximize public welfare by effectively addressing unexpected crisis events and promoting the sustainable development of cities and society.