The impact of residents' perceptions of urban shrinkage on overall life satisfaction – The case of Yichun, China

Research focusing on the impact of urban shrinkage on residents' lives shows that the overall quality of life and satisfaction in shrinking cities are not necessarily as low as people generally believe. To provide an insightful explanation for such a phenomenon, this article investigates the mechanisms of residents' overall life satisfaction in shrinking cities. Existing research has explored this question from objective and macro perspectives. However, it has not explained why a decline in the objective environment may not necessarily lead to residents' dissatisfaction. Therefore, this study aims to provide additional explanations based on individual perceptions of urban shrinkage and differences between groups. We employed the structural equation model (SEM) and multiple group analysis to conduct an empirical study in Yichun, a shrinking city in north-eastern China. Our findings indicate that positive perceptions of urban shrinkage, policy and planning practices, and urban development prospects positively impacted residents' overall life satisfaction. In contrast, negative perceptions of urban shrinkage negatively influenced overall life satisfaction. Furthermore, residents' varying perceptions can affect each another. Finally, groups differentiated by gender, age, retirement status, and length of residence demonstrated notable differences. The overall life satisfaction of men, older individuals, retired residents, and those who had lived in Yichun for over 20 years was more strongly influenced by their perceptions. This study establishes that residents' perceptions of different aspects of urban shrinkage significantly impact their overall life satisfaction. This finding provides a more in-depth explanation of why and how residents in shrinking cities might experience higher or lower life satisfaction levels. The policy implications of this research are that the government should concern more about the perceptions of the remaining residents and strengthen public communication and policy announcements.